Name: Vegan Gingerbread Banana Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 medium bananas); 1/3 cup sugar (such as coconut sugar, light brown sugar (1/4 cup for less sweet or if the bananas are very ripe)); 1/4 cup maple syrup; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 2 tbsp oil (omit to make oil free); 1/3 cup almond milk; 1 tsp vinegar; 1 tbsp molasses; 1 3/4 cup flour ((I use 1 1/4 all purpose, and 1/2 cup of whole wheat or spelt)); 1/4 cup almond flour; 1.5 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp salt; 1.5 -2 tsp gingerbread spice (or a mix of 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp each ground cloves, nutmeg, allspice); 2 tbsp chopped candied ginger (optional); Chopped walnuts/pecans; Chopped Dates (other dried fruits)

If you like gingerbread and bananas, you will love this vegan gingerbread banana bread! This banana bread recipe is perfect for the holidays and like any banana bread recipe, it is ideal for using up those brown bananas at the bottom of my freezer!
If you are like me and have a treasure trove of frozen bananas or overripe bananas, this easy loaf cake recipe is for you.

Make one big gingerbread banana loaf for yourself, and a couple more for gifting!

a hand reaching for a buttered slice of vegan gingerbread banana bread

I love this delicious loaf cake just slightly warm from the oven with a dollop of vegan butter – but I like it equally well a day or so later when it has had a chance to sit for a while. The flavors are out of this world and get ever more pronounced with time.

That gingerbread spice, the banana and that touch of malty molasses. DELISH! Especially around Christmastime, I try to add molasses to as many recipes as I can. I used classic thick and dark cooking molasses, which is what you use in regular gingerbread for that magnificent warming molasses flavor. If you want a lighter flavor, use fancy molasses. It will make the loaf sweeter and lighter.

a slice of vegan gingerbread banana bread being buttered

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I like that this banana bread is super flavorful but not overly sweet, and it wakes you right up in the morning with its bold gingerbread spices and the round molasses flavor! An added bonus: little bursts of candied ginger, that we add to the batter.

For this recipe, I kept the ingredients really simple and easy.

Ingredients:

All-purpose flour + almond flour mixed with baking powder and baking soda for the dry mix
I added some warm, cozy, gingerbread spices to the mix, – so ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice, and some molasses for rich depth of flavor,
candied ginger adds some nice chewy bits
I used 2 whole bananas – make sure they are ripe but no complete mush yet
For sweetness, I like using brown sugar or coconut sugar and add some maple syrup – we want warm caramel notes
almond milk and vinegar create a vegan “buttermilk” which makes this banana bread super light and fluffy
I do add some oil but you can leave it out for oil-free
A hint of vanilla – always a good idea around the holidays

Tips:

Make sure to bake this until a cake tester or toothpick inserted comes out clean.
To make this refined sugar-free, use coconut sugar.
Want to make this loaf oil-free? You can omit the oil and add a tbsp of unsweetened shredded coconut instead.
This loaf makes a great gift, and leftover slices can also be frozen for a rainy day when you need something sweet.
Great options for add-ins would be: chopped walnuts/pecans or chopped Dates, other dried fruits

How to make Vegan Gingerbread Banana Bread:

wet ingredients for vegan gingerbread banana bread being mixed in a bowl

Prep: Pre heat the oven to 365 degrees f or 185 degrees Celsius, and line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment.

In a bowl mix all the wet ingredients till well combined.

batter for vegan gingerbread banana bread being stirred together

In another bowl, mix the flours,the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices until well combined, then mix in the candied ginger.

flour being added to wet batter ingredients

Add 1 3/4 cup of the dried mixture to the wet mixture, and mix in. Add the rest of the dry flour mix 1 tbsp at a time until it is a stiff muffin batter. If it is not stiff enough, add another 1 or two tbsp of flour.

vegan gingerbread banana bread batter in a white bowl

Transfer the batter to the lined loaf pan, and even it out with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with 1 tbsp of brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. This is optional, but I like the crust it gives the banana bread.

Sliced vegan gingerbread banana bread on a wood board

You can also add some candied ginger on top, or some pecans tossed in maple syrup for a candied pecan top. Bake for 55 minutes. Check with a toothpick from the center of the loaf to check if it comes out clean. cool the loaf for 10 minutes before taking out of the pan. Then cool completely before slicing.