Eggless Banana Bread Recipe (+ Vegan & Whole Wheat)

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This Banana Bread is by far the best vegan Banana Loaf recipe I have come up with, and I have made a lot of bread! Eggless and made with wholemeal flour, this delicious banana bread is light, soft, and perfectly sweet. One of my most popular baking recipes tried successfully by many of our readers.

banana bread loaf with a few slices on a white tray

About Eggless Banana Bread

Banana bread is an all-time personal family favorite. When I find myself pressed for time, which happens often, I throw this quick recipe together with overripe bananas and other pantry staples.

It’s no surprise that this vegan banana bread is one of the most popular baking recipes on my blog, alongside my mouthwatering Banana Cake and Chocolate Cake recipes.

About 9 years ago, I started to get requests for an eggless version of the classic banana bread recipe. And I tried — I tried many, many times to make the absolute best eggless banana bread — and I failed at least 6 times before finally getting it right!

Making an eggless or vegan cake or bread is always a challenge, as one wants the best texture and taste in the bread. I succeeded at making eggless and vegan versions, but I was never quite satisfied with the texture of the loaves.

I tried adding vinegar, buttermilk, cornflour and so many other ingredients, but it just never came to that perfect, moist bread. The loaf kept ending up dry and soft, but a bit dense and even crumbly at times.

So one day, I decided that I would simplify my ingredients list and that I would only use items that were easily available in my kitchen.

I even realized that I could puree bananas and use that as an egg substitute — which works perfectly for banana bread. Well, I added just bananas, oil and a few other ingredients from my pantry and the result was (finally) a moist, light, and soft eggless banana bread.

What ingredients should I use?

  • Flour: I have made the bread with organic whole wheat flour, but if you want you can make the bread with all-purpose flour or half-half of both the flours. You can also use cake flour or pastry flour.
  • Sugar: You can use brown sugar, organic unrefined cane sugar or granulated white sugar — all work well in this recipe.
  • Oil: You can use any neutral flavored oil for this recipe. I have made this bread on various occasions with a variety of oils, including coconut oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, rice bran oil and even olive oil.
  • Flavorings: I added cinnamon powder, nutmeg, and vanilla extract to this vegan banana bread, but both the cinnamon and nutmeg are optional.
  • Sunflower Seeds: I have added sunflower seeds in the bread to make it more nutritious. However, you can easily skip adding them or add your favorite edible seeds or nuts.
three banana bread slices on a white plate
Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Banana Bread

Prep Oven and Make Banana Puree

1. First preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 20 minutes. Next, while the oven is preheating, slice your ripe or overripe medium to large bananas into a mixing bowl.

Tip: I typically use about 4 medium or 2 large bananas for this recipe. In weight, the bananas (with their peels) are 300 grams or 10.5 ounces.

Top shot of sliced bananas in black bowl

2. Then, add ⅓ to ½ cup sugar, depending on the sweetness of your bananas. Here I have used raw sugar, but feel free to add brown sugar, white sugar, coconut sugar, palm sugar, maple syrup or jaggery (Indian unrefined cane sugar).

With palm sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup and jaggery the flavors will be different.

Top shot of sliced bananas with sugar on top in black bowl

3. Next, use a masher or fork to mash the bananas into a smooth consistency. If you prefer, you could also puree the bananas with sugar in a blender.

Top shot of mashed bananas in pot with masher for banana bread

Tip: There should be no chunks left in the puree. However, fine threads of bananas in the mixture are fine. Additionally, you can use a blender to mash the bananas if needed.

banana puree in bowl

5. Add ½ cup of oil to the mashed banana mixture. Use a neutral flavored oil, so that the after taste of oil is not felt in the bread. I prefer to use sunflower oil.

On various occasions I have also used coconut oil. But with coconut oil, on refrigeration the texture becomes dense as the coconut oil solidifies. So keep a note of this.

Top shot of puree with oil floating on top in bowl

6. Now, stir briskly for about 2 to 3 minutes with a wired whisk or a spatula so that the oil mixes evenly with the banana puree.

oil being mixed with banana puree in bowl

7. Finally, stir in the following flavorings to your oil and banana puree:

  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder (ground cinnamon)
  • 2 to 3 pinches or ⅛ teaspoon of grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg powder
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla powder or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Tip: That being said, both the cinnamon powder and nutmeg powder are optional.

Top shot of banana puree and flavorings in black bowl

8. Next, combine the flavoring spices and vanilla with the banana oil mixture. Stir and mix well!

flavorings mixed with banana puree to make vegan banana bread

Make Banana Bread Batter

9. Sieve 1.5 cups whole wheat flour (about 180 grams), ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1.5 teaspoon baking powder and a pinch of salt directly in the bowl.

Top shot of flour mixture in sieve

10. Make sure the sieved dry mixture sits evenly on top of the wet mixture (pictured below).

Top shot of dry sifted ingredients mixture

11. After that, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients — don’t mix!

Tip: This folding step is most important — you want the whole bread mixture to be combined into one and mixed evenly, but you also want to avoid stirring because that will deflate the batter.

green spatula inside the flour for the mixture to be folded

12. The folded batter should be fully combined but not flat (pictured below) and will have a thick consistency.

Note 1: Ensure that you do not overwork the batter as this will cause gluten strands to form in the batter which result in a doughy texture after baking. The batter should have volume and not look flat or stringy.

Note 2: If in case the batter looks very thick or dry then add about ¼ to ⅓ cup of water or preferred nut milk. Depending on the type of wheat flour, sometimes more liquids will be needed to get the right consistency.

Batter in black pot with green spatula

13. This step is optional, but I always like the extra flavors nuts, seeds, or other ingredients add to vegan banana bread.

For this recipe, I included about 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds, but you can also add chopped walnuts, chocolate chips or any dry fruit or nuts of your choice like I have done in the video.

Batter with pile of sunflower seeds on top in black bowl

14. Fold the batter gently once again until the sunflower seeds are fully incorporated.

Batter in black bowl with green mixing spoon for eggless banana bread

Bake Eggless Banana Bread

15. Pour the batter into a greased or lined loaf pan (8 x 4 x 2.5 inches) or a round cake pan (8 x 2 inches). Bake at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean.

Tip: The temperature varies from oven to oven, so keep a close eye on your banana bread. Be careful NOT to open the oven until the bread is ¾ done.

When in doubt, use a skewer or toothpick — the benchmark is that a bamboo skewer inserted in the bread should come out clean with no wet or sticky batter clinging on it.

Top shot of baked banana bread in loaf baking pan

16. Place the loaf pan on a wired rack for the bread to cool. When the bread cools down, then remove the loaf from the pan.

Top shot of fully baked vegan banana bread on cooling rack

17. Slice and serve your Eggless Banana Bread as is with tea or coffee or as a sweet snack.

The remaining loaf, you can wrap in a cling film or keep in an air-tight box in the fridge for about more than a week. Warm the bread before serving.

top shot of fully baked sliced banana bread

Expert Tips

  1. Warm before serving: If coconut oil is added to the bread, it solidifies when refrigerated, hence the bread also becomes dense when you refrigerate it. So before serving just warm up the bread, and it will have its natural texture back.
  2. Adjust sweetness: Sweetness of the bread can be adjusted as per your preferences.
  3. Keep it simple: You can skip adding sunflower seeds.
  4. Flour options: I have made the banana bread with whole wheat flour, but if you want you can make it with all purpose flour or half-half of both the flours.
  5. Bake time: The timing varies from oven to oven. Depending on the temperature in your oven and the size of your pan, the bread might take less or more time than what I have listed in this recipe.

FAQs

Why didn’t you use flax meal as an egg replacer?

I have not added any other ingredient besides the usual bread ingredients in this vegan banana bread. I had flax meal but still I wanted to make a bread without flax seed meal as many of us do not have these readily available in their kitchens.

How long will does banana bread stay fresh?

Your banana bread can last 1 to 2 days after baking if properly stored. Simply wrap your loaf in plastic wrap and leave it on the counter. In the fridge it will last for more than a week.

Why do you recommend folding instead of whisking?

Whisking disturbs the combined ingredients and causes the dough to lose air that helps it to rise. When using the folding method instead, you preserve more of the volume and will have a fuller banana bread.

What bananas should I use?

Banana bread is the perfect recipe to use when your bananas are past eating raw. I generally use overripe bananas — it’s better to mash and make a delicious loaf of banana bread than waste bananas that are too brown to eat!

What is the difference between banana bread and banana cake?

Banana bread comes under the category of sweet breads. Unlike a banana cake that is more sweeter with a light and soft crumb, a banana bread is less sweeter with a slightly denser crumb.

More Sweet Breads To Try!

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closeup shot of banana bread slices on white tray

Eggless Banana Bread Recipe (+ Vegan & Whole Wheat)

An easy Banana Bread that is both eggless and vegan. Made with wholemeal flour this delicious banana bread is light, soft, and perfectly sweet. One of my most popular baking recipes tried successfully by many of our readers.
4.92 from 369 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Cuisine World
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Diet Vegan, Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 12 banana bread slices
Units

Ingredients

For making banana puree

  • 4 bananas ripe or overripe, medium sized – 300 grams (with peels)
  • ½ cup raw sugar or brown sugar or granulated white sugar
  • ½ cup sunflower oil or coconut oil or any neutral flavored oil
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder (ground cinnamon) – optional
  • 2 to 3 pinches grated nutmeg or ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg powder – optional
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla powder or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Other Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups whole wheat flour – 180 grams
  • 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 pinch salt – optional
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds – optional

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 20 minutes.
  • Grease a bread loaf tin or a rectangular cake pan with oil. You can use the rectangular cake pan of size ( 7.5 x 4 x 2.5 inches) or round cake pan (7.5 x 2 inches).

Making Banana Puree

  • Take sliced bananas and sugar in a mixing bowl.
  • Mash the bananas well with a vegetable masher or puree them with a hand blender or a regular blender.
  • Now add the oil, vanilla, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder to the banana. Mix thoroughly with a wired whisk or spatula so that the oil is mixed evenly with the banana puree.
  • Sieve the whole wheat flour with baking soda, baking powder, salt directly in the bowl containing the mashed bananas.
  • Now fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Do not mix. Do this cut and folding technique properly, so that all the ingredients are mixed evenly.
  • This folding step is important as you want the whole bread mixture to be one and mixed evenly.
  • Keep in mind not to overwork the batter as this will result in gluten strands being formed in the batter, that will make for a doughy texture in the bread. The batter should have volume and not look flat or stringy.
  • If the batter looks very thick or dry then add about ¼ to ⅓ cup of water or preferred nut milk and gently fold again.
  • Lastly add the sunflower seeds and fold once again.
  • Pour the bread mixture into the loaf pan.

Baking Banana Bread

  • Bake at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30 to 40 minutes or till a toothpick or a bambook skewer inserted in the bread comes out clean.
  • The timing varies from oven to oven. Depending on the temperature in your oven and the size of your pan, the bread might take less or more time than mentioned here.
  • So take your call and keep an eye on the bread. However don't open the oven untill the bread is ¾ done.
  • The benchmark is that a tooth pick inserted in the bread should come out clean.
  • Place the loaf pan on a wired rack for it to cool. When the bread cools down, gently remove the banana bread from the pan.
  • Slice and serve banana bread.
  • The remaining banana loaf, you can wrap in a cling film or keep in a box in the fridge. You can choose to warm the banana bread before serving.

Video

Notes

  • If coconut oil is added to the bread, it solidifies when refrigerated, hence the bread also becomes dense when you refrigerate it. So before serving just warm up the bread and the bread will have its natural texture back.
  • Sweetness of the bread can be adjusted as per your preferences.
  • You can skip adding sunflower seeds. You can also choose to add nuts or edible seeds  or dry fruits of your choice. Walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachios, raisins, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds are some good options.
  • I  have made the banana bread with whole wheat flour, but if you want you can make it with all purpose flour or half-half of both the flours.
  • Note that the approximate nutrition info is for 1 slice of banana bread made with sunflower oil and raw sugar. 

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Eggless Banana Bread Recipe (+ Vegan & Whole Wheat)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 206 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 8g
Sodium 50mg2%
Potassium 254mg7%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 27IU1%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Vitamin E 4mg27%
Vitamin K 1µg1%
Calcium 31mg3%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 16µg4%
Iron 1mg6%
Magnesium 35mg9%
Phosphorus 103mg10%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This Eggless Banana Bread post from the archives was first published on October 2012. It has been updated and republished on November 2022.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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676 Comments

  1. I have made this twice. I have to double the cook time. I don’t know if it’s because I’m in a higher altitude or what. Love this bread especially with eggs being so expensive!!4 stars

  2. Thank you so much for sharing such a yummy recipe with a detailed description/instructions. Was very easy to follow and the results were soft, yummy and tasty banana bread.5 stars

    1. I am not sure if scaling the recipe will make it work. But you can make the batter twice and bake in two loaf pans.

  3. Absolutely wonderful, the flavor is amazing and to be honest I don’t really like banana bread, however, now I have this recipe its a new favourite for me. Thank you5 stars

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