Healthy Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Now you and I can enjoy fluffy, moist and sweet banana bread minus the cups of sugar. This whole wheat banana bread is sweetened with honey and ripe bananas.

It is made with whole wheat pastry flour, applesauce, olive oil, eggs, cinnamon and vanilla, all mixed in one bowl and a blender. It bakes in one loaf pan in 35 to 40 minutes.

The Best Healthy Whole Wheat Banana Bread (Honey Sweetened)

My mom had a Sunday tradition of making homemade banana bread. We anxiously waited for the timer to go off and then fought over who got the first piece of warm banana bread. Well, I love my mom and her banana bread, but all the sugar in her recipe? Not so much.

Please forgive me for being a broken record, but I feel like I would be doing you a disservice by not mentioning whole wheat pastry flour. A talented caterer friend of mine (hi Haley!) introduced me to pastry flour. I was getting frustrated with whole wheat turning my baked goods into bricks. White flour and highly processed flours, of course, were out. I tried this flour and now ONLY use this flour. Whether it’s my Banana Muffins or Multigrain Waffles, this flour will not disappoint.

This bread is fluffy, moist and sweet, with all of the comfort of my mom’s Sunday banana bread. Honey and ripe bananas do the sweetening, and applesauce and olive oil keep every slice soft. My husband just finished half the loaf… so I think it’s a winner.

The cinnamon and vanilla make the whole kitchen smell like a Sunday morning while it bakes, and the crust turns a deep golden brown thanks to the honey. Serve it warm, toasted with a little coconut oil or nut butter, or tucked into a lunch box.

Why You’ll Love This Banana Bread

• No refined sugar. Honey and ripe bananas bring all the sweetness.
• Soft, not dense. Whole wheat pastry flour keeps it fluffy instead of brick like.
• Moist without butter. Applesauce and olive oil keep every slice tender.
• One loaf, easy method. Blend the wet ingredients, stir into the dry and bake.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here is what goes into this healthy banana bread and why each one matters. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Whole wheat pastry flour: The key to a soft whole grain loaf. It is milled from soft wheat, which has less protein, so it forms less gluten and bakes up light and tender. Regular whole wheat flour makes a much denser, heavier bread.
• Aluminum free baking powder: Gives the bread its rise. Aluminum free baking powder avoids the slightly metallic taste some brands can leave behind. Make sure it is fresh, since old baking powder loses its lift.
• Cinnamon: Adds warmth and pairs perfectly with banana. Use a fresh jar, since ground spices lose their flavor over time.
• Salt: Balances the honey and brings out the banana flavor.
• Eggs: Well beaten, they bind the batter and help the loaf rise and hold together when sliced. Room temperature eggs blend in more smoothly.
• Olive oil: Keeps the bread moist. Oil stays liquid at room temperature, so oil based quick breads stay soft for days. A light olive oil has the mildest flavor.
• Unsweetened applesauce: Adds moisture and a little natural sweetness, so the recipe needs less oil. Choose unsweetened so the honey stays in charge of the sweetness.
• Honey: The only added sweetener. Honey is sweeter than sugar and holds onto moisture, which keeps the bread soft. It also helps the top turn a deep golden brown.
• Pure vanilla: Rounds out the banana and cinnamon flavors.
• Ripe bananas: The riper the better. Look for bananas with lots of brown spots, since they are sweeter, softer and have the most banana flavor. Peel and mash them well with a fork. A few small lumps are fine and leave little pockets of banana in the bread.

How to Make Whole Wheat Banana Bread

1. Heat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F so it is fully hot by the time the batter is ready.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk well so the baking powder is spread evenly, then set aside.
3. Blend the wet ingredients. Blend together the eggs, oil, applesauce, honey and vanilla until smooth. I highly recommend a Vitamix! It makes this step so much easier.
4. Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until no dry flour remains. Fold in the mashed bananas gently with a spatula. Stir just until everything is combined. Overmixing develops gluten and makes quick breads tough, so a few small lumps in the batter are perfectly fine.
5. Pan it. Spray one large loaf pan (8.5 by 4.5 inches) lightly with cooking spray and pour in the batter. Smooth the top so it bakes evenly.
6. Bake. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Cool. Let the bread cool in the pan for a few minutes, then turn it out onto a rack. It slices most cleanly once it has cooled, though nobody will blame you for cutting the first warm piece right away.

Ways to Customize Your Banana Bread

• Make muffins. The same flour and method make great banana muffins; bake them for less time.
• Add nuts. Fold in chopped walnuts or pecans with the bananas for crunch.
• Add chocolate. A handful of dark chocolate chips turns it into a treat.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread FAQs

• Can I use regular whole wheat flour? You can, but the bread will be denser and heavier. Whole wheat pastry flour is what keeps it fluffy and moist.
• How ripe should my bananas be? Very ripe, with plenty of brown spots. They are sweeter and mash more easily.
• Can I use maple syrup instead of honey? Maple syrup works in the same amount and gives a slightly different flavor.
• How do I know when it’s done? Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too fast, loosely cover it with foil.
• Can I use a different oil? Yes. Melted coconut oil or any neutral oil works in place of olive oil.
• Why did my loaf sink in the middle? It was likely underbaked or the baking powder was old. Check the center with a toothpick, and replace baking powder that has been open a long time.
• Do I need a blender? It makes mixing the wet ingredients quick, but a whisk and a large bowl work too.
• Why is my banana bread dense? Overmixing or regular whole wheat flour are the usual causes. Stir just until combined and use pastry flour.
• What size pan should I use? One large loaf pan, 8.5 by 4.5 inches. A bigger pan makes a flatter loaf that bakes faster, so start checking it early.
• How do I store it? Wrap the cooled loaf well and keep it at room temperature for a couple of days, or refrigerate it for longer. It also freezes well in slices.

Honey Banana Bread with Applesauce

Banana bread with honey and applesauce, made with whole wheat pastry flour, olive oil and ripe bananas. A soft, fluffy loaf with no refined sugar that bakes in 35 to 40 minutes.

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Ingredients

  

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs well beaten
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 2 ripe bananas peeled and mashed

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium-size bowl. Set aside.
• Blend together eggs, oil, applesauce, honey, and vanilla. I HIGHLY recommend a Vitamix! It will make your life so much easier.
• Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in mashed bananas.
• Spray one large loaf pan (8.5 in x 4.5 in) lightly with cooking spray. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Made this banana bread? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell me how it turned out in the comments below. I’d love to know if anyone fought over the first piece at your house too!

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