Vegan Protein Banana Bread
There really is no limit as to what I can create with overripe bananas, and this vegan protein banana bread is proof. I use bananas, dates, and vanilla protein powder to create a moist loaf with a natural sweetness and tender crumb. This banana bread is great for breakfast, snack time, or as a more exciting pre-workout bite.
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 220kcal
Ingredients
- 10 oz pitted Medjool dates
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil can also use vegan butter, melted
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour can also use whole wheat pastry flour or oat flour
- ½ cup vegan vanilla protein powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon ground
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 large ripe bananas mashed with a fork
- 1 flax egg (can also use 1 regular egg if you don't need this to be vegan)
- ½ cup walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 180 C. Line an 8½ x 4½ loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Add the dates and water to a small pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and cook, stirring, over low heat until the water has been absorbed and the dates are very soft.
- Remove from the heat and mash with a fork.
- Add the melted vegan butter and baking soda, stir to combine and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, protein powder, baking powder, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
- Next, add the date mixture, mashed bananas, flax egg, and ½ of the chopped walnuts to the dry ingredients.
- Gently fold to combine. Do not over-mix.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin and sprinkle the top with the remaining chopped walnuts.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes. You may need to cover the banana bread with foil after 30 minutes to prevent the top from burning.
- Test to see if the banana bread is cooked by inserting a skewer. If the skewer comes out clean it is cooked, if not, cook for another 5-10 minutes.
- Cool in the loaf pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Slice after it's cooled, and serve.
Video
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this vegan protein banana bread recipe is to use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots. They mash up smoothly, taste sweeter, and help keep the loaf moist. Underripe bananas tend to leave chunky pieces of fruit in the batter, which creates mushy sections in the loaf.
- Check batter: Protein powders vary, so if the batter looks very stiff, I add 1-2 tablespoons of plant milk to loosen it up.
- Use pea protein powder: I prefer using pea protein powder over whey as it creates a fluffy cake-like texture when baked. Whey has a tendency to become rubbery when heated.
- Cool fully: I let the loaf cool down entirely before slicing, as this gives the crumb a chance to set, and allows for neater slices.
- Cover with foil: When I notice the top of the loaf starting to darken, I cover it loosely with a piece of foil. This prevents any further browning while allowing the inside of the banana bread to cook through.
- Add vanilla: If I am using an unflavored protein powder, I add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dry ingredients for a complete flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 315mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 22g