Vegan gluten free banana bread is a wholesome, naturally sweetened loaf made with ripe bananas, almond and rice flours.
I don’t eat a lot of baked goods since having shifted to being gluten free on top of being plant based, which equals to tricky baking. This one-bowl vegan gluten free banana bread recipe has been fun to create, I’m proud of it, checking all the boxes for texture, taste, diet and simplicity.
You don’t need fancy equipment or hard-to-find ingredients. I often make it in the morning as I am craving it. If you’re into easy, wholesome bakes, you might also like my vegan gluten free carrot muffins or quick oatmeal cookies.
Ingredients
The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.
Use very ripe, spotty bananas for maximum natural sweetness. I mash them with a fork, keeping a few small chunks for flavor and texture. You can also use a potato masher or food processor.
The flour blend includes:
• Almond flour or almond meal – both work beautifully. Almond flour gives a lighter result, while almond meal adds a heartier crumb. If you're interested in knowing how to make your own, here's a handy article for how to make almond flour.
• White rice flour – helps keep the loaf soft and moist.
The key binder is psyllium husk, which is mixed with water to form a gel. Without it, the loaf turns crumbly, I’ve tested it. You can usually find psyllium in the health food aisle.
To lift the loaf, I use both baking powder and baking soda, activated by a splash of apple cider vinegar. I always let the batter rest in the loaf tin for five minutes before baking for a better rise.
Janelle's Tips
- Weigh your ingredients. Baking by weight gives the most consistent results. If using cups, fluff the flour first with a whisk, spoon it into the cup, and level without pressing.
- Use parchment paper to line your loaf tin for easy removal and no sticking.
- The banana loaf is best baked in a loaf tin with measurements of 21x11x7cm/8.5x4.5x3 in or similar, this is the tin I use.
- Store it covered at room temperature for 2–3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can also freeze individual slices.
Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ star rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.
Recipe
Vegan Gluten Free Banana Bread
Ingredients
Binder Ingredients
- 5 grams Psyllium husk
- 60 millilitres Water
Dry Ingredients
- 120 grams Almond flour
- 200 grams White rice flour
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon powder or to taste
- 15 grams Baking powder
- 5 grams Baking soda
- 1 pinch Salt
Wet Ingredients
- 500 grams Mashed bananas
- 30 millilitres Dairy free milk
- 50 millilitres Coconut oil melted
- 15 millilitres Apple cider vinegar
- 5 millilitres Vanilla extract
- 105 millilitres Maple syrup pure
Instructions
Make the Binding Gel
- In a small bowl, whisk together the psyllium husk and water. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it forms a gel.
Whisk the Wet Ingredients
- Peel and break apart the ripe bananas and place them into a large mixing bowl. Use a fork to mash the bananas until smooth with a few small chunks remaining. Add all the wet ingredients and the binding gel, then whisk everything together until well combined.
Combine the Dry Ingredients With the Wet Ingredients
- Now add all the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold them together, ensuring the batter is smooth and free of lumps.
Bake and Cool
- Line a loaf tin with parchment paper (the measurements of the loaf tin I used are 21x11x7cm/8.3x4.3x2.8 in) and fill it with the banana bread batter. Smooth the top with a spatula and let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes (see notes). Bake in a preheated fan-forced oven at 338°F (170°C) for 60-65 minutes or until a fork inserted comes out clean and the outside is golden brown.Let the banana bread stand for 5 minutes before removing it from the tin and transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
N.B., nutrition info is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. This will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.
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Jan
Love making this quick bread, I prefer home baking over buying as I can control the ingredients and know what is in my food.