I have to admit that there are already quite a few banana bread recipes available here on the blog. But can you ever have enough banana bread recipes?! I don’t think so! There is always something new to test and try. This easy recipe for a Vegan Walnut & Chocolate Banana Bread, for example. It’s obviously made without any dairy products but also without any added (white) sugar. Not created to be healthy but to be very delicious. Being vegan and sugar-free is just a bonus ;P
Banana bread might not be the best option if you are on a diet and want to lose weight. This type of bread/cake adds quite a good amount of calories (per slice) to your daily (calories) allowance… even when made without sugar ;P There is quite a good amount of (good) fat added, the flour and the bananas are loaded with carbs… this all adds up.
But banana bread without refined sugar, dairy products, or eggs is not bad, right? I’m always happy when I can bake something without added (white) sugar that still tastes sweet and delicious. Maple syrup in the recipe is a type of sugar, of course, but it’s less refined, has a lower glycemic index, and contains also some vitamins and minerals. We are not vegetarians or vegans but cooking and baking without any products from animals happens here much more often lately. Using more often veggie-based ingredients only is better for your health, for the environment, and certainly for the animals out there that don’t have to work/suffer for us.
I am not telling you to go vegetarian or vegan – that’s up to you. Do what’s best for you! But adding more veggies to your diet is definitely something good ;P Well… and keeping an eye on the refined sugar that is added to sooooo many foods. Your body will thank you one day if you cut back on added sugar. Believe me… I learned that the hard way ;P
Well… I am not here to give you a lecture on how to live a perfect life, am I? Definitely not ;P
You have to admit though – what we eat has a big effect on our bodies and on our life. If you are an active human being that does a lot of sports you can get away with much more than a person that sits in an office from 9-5 not moving a muscle :P
Anyway. Back to the banana bread – the reason you ended up here I guess ;) The flavors of this vegan banana bread are excellent, with a great texture, and moist but not squidgy (that texture you get when your bake is not baked all the way through). Banana bread is in general a bit denser than other bakes, but that also guarantees that your bake is still nice and fresh on the second and third day (if there are any leftovers at all after the first day) ;)
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
1 tbsp. chia seeds*
4 tbsp. water
3 very ripe bananas (plus one for decorations)
1/3 cup (80ml) rapeseed oil
1/3 cup (80ml) oat milk
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (230g) spelt flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. salt
3.5 oz. (100g) vegan chocolate chips*
4.2 oz. (120g) walnuts, chopped
1 EL Chia Samen*
4 EL Wasser
3 sehr reife Bananen (plus eine für die Dekoration)
80ml Rapsöl
80ml Haferdrink
2 EL Ahornsirup
1 TL Vanille Extrakt
230g Dinkelmehl (Type 630)
2 TL Backpulver
1/4 TL Kardamom
1/4 TL Salz
100g vegane Chocolate Chips*
120g Walnüsse, grob gehackt
Notes:
Most banana bread recipes use eggs when not vegan – the chia seeds are the replacement for an egg in this recipe. Chia seeds are available in most supermarkets these days – they are also great for breakfast. A nice overnight oats bowl with some additional chia seeds… perfect in the morning!
If you can’t find vegan chocolate drops (an online source is linked in the recipe), you can also use regular vegan chocolate here and chop it. If your supermarket has a section with vegan products you will definitely find something there.
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9×5 inches loaf pan and line with a piece of baking parchment. Set aside. Add chia seeds and water to a small bowl and let sit for 3-4 minutes until thickened. Chop the walnuts and set aside.
2. Add the bananas to a bowl and mash. Add the oil, oat milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and mix to combine. Next, add the thickened chia seeds and mix in as well. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl mix the flour with baking powder, ground cardamom, and salt. Add the banana mixture and stir in. Add most of the chocolate chips and walnuts (keep some for decorations) and fold in. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Cut the additional banana lengthwise in half and add on top of the batter. Sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts on top.
4. Bake the banana bread for 55-60 minutes in the preheated oven. Check with a wooden skewer if the cake is done – if it comes out clean the banana bread is done. Take out of the oven and let cool down for a while in the pan, then lift out with the baking parchment and let cool down completely on a wire rack.
1. Den Ofen auf 180°C (350°F) Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen. Eine 23x13cm Kastenform leicht einfetten und mit einem Stück Backpapier auslegen. Zur Seite stellen. Chiasamen und Wasser in einer kleinen Schüssel verrühren und etwa 3-4 Minuten quellen lassen. Die Walnüsse grob hacken und zur Seite stellen.
2. Bananen in einer Schüssel zerdrücken, dann mit Öl, Haferdrink, Ahornsirup und Vanille Extrakt verrühren. Die angedickten Chiasamen dazugeben und unterrühren. Zur Seite stellen.
3. In einer großen Schüssel Mehl mit Backpulver, Kardamom und Salz vermischen. Die zerdrückten Bananen dazugeben und unterrühren. Den Großteil der Chocolate Chips und gehackten Walnüsse unterheben (einen kleinen Teil für die Dekoration zurückbehalten). Den Teig in die vorbereitete Form füllen und glatt streichen. Die zusätzliche Banane der Länge nach halbieren und auf den Teig legen, die restlichen Chocolate Chips und gehackten Walnüsse darüber streuen.
4. Das Bananenbrot dann für etwa 55-60 Minuten im vorgeheizten Ofen backen. Mit einem Holzspieß testen, ob noch Teig kleben bleibt und das Bananenbrot erst herausholen, wenn dieser sauber herauskommt. Das fertige Bananenbrot dann aus dem Ofen nehmen und ein Weilchen in der Form abkühlen lassen, dann mit dem Backpapier aus der Form heben und auf einem Kuchengitter komplett auskühlen lassen.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Vegan Chocolate & Walnut Banana Bread
- Prep Time: 00:15
- Cook Time: 01:00
- Total Time: 01:30
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: International
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This banana bread is without added sugar but still sweet and delicious: a vegan Chocolate & Walnut Banana Bread. The perfect treat for breakfast (or any other time of the day for that matter).
Ingredients
1 tbsp. chia seeds*
4 tbsp. water
3 very ripe bananas (plus one for decorations)
1/3 cup (80ml) rapeseed oil
1/3 cup (80ml) oat milk
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (230g) spelt flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. salt
3.5 oz. (100g) vegan chocolate chips*
4.2 oz. (120g) walnuts, chopped
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9×5 inches loaf pan and line with a piece of baking parchment. Set aside. Add chia seeds and water to a small bowl and let sit for 3-4 minutes until thickened. Chop the walnuts and set aside.
2. Add the bananas to a bowl and mash. Add the oil, oat milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and mix to combine. Next, add the thickened chia seeds and mix in as well. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl mix the flour with baking powder, ground cardamom, and salt. Add the banana mixture and stir in. Add most of the chocolate chips and walnuts (keep some for decorations) and fold in. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Cut the additional banana lengthwise in half and add on top of the batter. Sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts on top.
4. Bake the banana bread for 55-60 minutes in the preheated oven. Check with a wooden skewer if the cake is done – if it comes out clean the banana bread is done. Take out of the oven and let cool down for a while in the pan, then lift out with the baking parchment and let cool down completely on a wire rack.
Notes
Let’s get baking!
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I love my job, but in between I love to bake and try new things in the kitchen. A lot of my friends and colleagues encourage me to bake - for a very simple reason: they get the leftovers - and it seems they like it most of the time ;) 
I love me some banana bread! I tend to buy bananas when they’re on sale and then completely forget about them so I end up making banana bread at least twice a month haha. I like to add blueberries or dried cranberries and a little bit of cinnamon. Absolutely delicious!