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This Vegan Gingerbread Banana Bread recipe combines soft and moist Banana bread with Spiced gingerbread for the ultimate holiday treat.
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!
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.
MORE VEGAN BREAKFAST BAKES FROM THE BLOG
- Marbled Banana Chocolate loaf
- Banana Walnut Breakfast Loaf. Gluten-free
- Banana Apple Bread
- One bowl Pumpkin Bread
- Turmeric Pumpkin Chocolate Marble Loaf.
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
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.
Gingerbread Banana Bread
Ingredients
Wet 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
Dry Ingredients:
- 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
Optional add ins
- Chopped walnuts/pecans
- Chopped Dates, other dried fruits
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 365 degrees F (185 C), and line a 9×5 or 8.5×4.5 inch loaf pan with parchment.
- In a bowl mix all the wet ingredients till well combined.
- In another bowl, mix the flours ,the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices until well combined, then mix in the candied ginger.
- 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
- 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. 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, if it comes out clean, then remove from the oven else bake for another 5-10. cool the loaf for 10 minutes before taking out of the pan. Then cool completely before slicing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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:
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.
In another bowl, mix the flours,the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices until well combined, then mix in the candied ginger.
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.
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.
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.
HOW TO STORE VEGAN BANANA BREAD:
This loaf can be stored on the counter for the day and can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days. Single slices can be frozen.
This a wonderful recipe! I gave only 4 stars because it is unclear. I feel all of the information is on the page, but to fully make the recipe – especially gluten free – you have to read the entire post. For example: for the gf option, does this blend sub for only the regular flour, spelt etc., or does it sub for ALL of the flour in the main recipe? I treated it as a sub for the regular flour and added more almond flour per the main recipe. It’s in the oven now, so we shall see how it comes out!
The gf sub is for all purpose flour. I’ll update instructions
This is one of the best banana breads I have made! I did not use the candied ginger as I did not have any on hand.
Awesome!! Glad you liked it.
This is an awesome recipe! I made the gluten free (GF) version. My store did not have potato starch, so I used 1/4 cup of Trader Joe’s GF flour in place of the potato starch and omitted the xanthan gum, since the TJ flour already had some in it. I baked the batter in mini-bundt cake pan (6 cakes per recipe batch) for 30 min. Rose nicely and turned out perfectly moist, fluffy and tender, with a lovely gingery zing! I drizzled lemon glaze on the top of the cool cakes. These are gifts for my neighbors (but I also made an extra batch for us). We love these! 🤎 Seasons greetings, Richa!
Yay!! Glad it worked. Happy Holidays!!
Well, here’s another great recipe from you. When I am looking for a recipe, I go to your site first. Made this today and the smell in the house was amazing and the taste is so good. Nice and fluffy. I made the gluten free version and added walnuts and raisins.
Thank you so much for all the great recipes.
I will be making this one again.
Ps, I also made the spice mix that you gave instructions for.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Make double the quantity…u won’t regret it!
I have literally made this almost every week since I first tried it. My only limitation is waiting for the bananas to ripen!
The most delicious banana bread I have ever had by a long way & always impresses my friends & family. One vegan girlfriend said it was literally the best thing she has ever eaten lol.I always do the top crust with the cinnamon & sugar & some chopped ginger & highly recommend it.
It’s really good!
thank you so much for this awesome review! so glad you enjoy.
Loved this bread….it is reminiscent of the Gingerbread biscuits (German) that one has at Christmas time, and of Dutch breakfast bread (ontbijtkoek), that I grew up with.
awesome! 🙂
I made this recipe today (gluten free version) and it turned out amazing. I am not usually a fan of banana bread, but I have already polished off three generous slices. I used the entire gluten free flour mix to get the right consistency of the batter. I used coconut sugar in the recipe and also on the top, and added chopped walnuts in the bread and the walnut, maple syrup topping. This made a delicious, slightly crunchy crust like the recipe says.
Love it!
Delicious! One of the best banana bread out there, and I bake a lot of banana bread! Added some chopped orange peel as well as crystallised ginger, yum!
The gingerspice and molasses take this to another level!
Yay!!
Sooo good. Made as muffins for holiday gift giving. I will make this all year long. Do not skip the topping 😋
Thank you!
Yes! This is absolutely amazing!! The candied ginger mixed with all the spices made this a gingerbread treat. My son loves gingerbread but was skeptical of the banana, but it blends beautifully together. I omitted nutmeg by choice and oil because I forgot it , but it turned out perfect. Vegan Richa, I love every single recipe you share. Truly amazing, thank you💗
Thanks so much for the kind comment, Stacey!