I started this banana bread just as anyone else does… because of a large pile of completely black & overly ripen bananas just sitting in my fridge screaming to be used and calling the attention of a couple of fruit flies. Instead of ignoring them again, I listened to my very fragrant banana friends and decided it was only right to make banana bread. But not only is this banana bread gorgeous and delicious, it’s also vegan! This recipe is actually my first vegan dessert that I have made for Three Hungry Bellies and I am very proud of how it came out! It’s extremely fluffy and moist. But the best part of this bread, in my opinion and everybody else’s, are the raspberries! They add such a nice tart surprise in a sweet banana bread.
For this recipe I used frozen raspberries because they are what I had on hand and they always come out perfect. But if you’re lucky enough to have some great fresh raspberries on hand, I’d say go for it and throw them in instead! Another thing about this recipe that I love is that it’s very forgiving. You can substitute most of the ingredients for other things and it will still come out great! So don’t be afraid to interchange the ingredients/toppings. As for me, I kept wanting to add onto the healthy benefits of this banana bread so I topped it with pumpkin seeds, macadamia nuts, and coconut butter. (Ps: the pictures are showing a white chocolate drizzle but coconut butter is so much better and vegan! Coconut butter for the win!) But you can add whatever topping you would like and customize it to your taste buds!
Raspberry Banana Bread
Servings 8 slices
INGREDIENTS:
2-3 ripe Bananas
3.5 oz. Flavorless oil
5 oz. Coconut sugar
6.375 oz. All purpose flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 cup Frozen raspberries (not thawed)
1 Tbsp. Pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp. Chopped macadamia nuts
Coconut Butter
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a medium sized bowl, mash together the bananas until there are almost no lumps.
Mix in the sugar and oil.
Next, add in the flour, baking soda, & salt. Mix until just combined however, do not over mix!
Pour the batter into a 9"x5" loaf pan that has been line with parchment paper. Making sure that any sides not covered by the parchment paper have been greased to prevent any sticking.
Top the bread with pumpkin seeds and chopped macadamia nuts.
Bake the bread for 45 minutes or until the center is slightly springy.
Once its out of the oven and cool to the touch. Drizzle on some melted coconut butter and enjoy!