Simple & delicious Spelt Banana Bread made with just 7 ingredients. It's healthy, whole-grain, naturally vegan & perfect for breakfast or snacking. Also comes with a great oil-free option!
This Spelt Banana Bread recipe is the perfect way to use up ripe bananas and uses only 7 ingredients. It's simple, easy to make, on the healthier side and absolutely delicious! It also freezes perfectly so why not double the recipe and enjoy one loaf now and freeze one for another time?
It's no secret that I love spelt flour. It's definitely one of my favourites and its flavour really lends itself to hearty quick bread like this spelt banana bread, vegan zucchini bread and my quick yeast-free spelt bread. It gives a tender, light crumb and delicious nutty flavour.
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What ingredients & equipment do I need?
To make this spelt banana bread you will be needing:
- overripe bananas – the spottier the better!
- spelt flour – My go-to for hearty quick breads because of it's lovely nutty, wholesome flavour and light texture.
- sugar – Any type is fine, white, cane, coconut, brown etc
- oil or nut butter – Either is fine. Both work well and provide the necessary fat to get a good texture. I prefer to use nut butter because it adds a lovely flavour. Almond butter is my go-to.
- molasses – my banana bread secret weapon! It adds a certain something that you can't put your finger on. So good!
- cinnamon or cardamom - One or the other. These are optional but recommended. Their fragrant flavour works so well with the banana.
- and the usual suspects like salt and baking powder.
How to make Spelt Banana Bread
Here's how to make this banana bread with spelt flour in a few easy steps:
Step 1 - Mash the bananas in a large bowl.
Step 2 - Add the oil/nut butter, sugar, molasses, spices if you're using them and salt and give it all a good whisk.
Step 3 - Add the flour and baking powder.
Step 4 - Mix gently to make a thick batter.
Step 5 - Spoon into a loaf pan, top with optional banana slices and bake.
Success Tips
For the very best results take note of these tips:
- Weigh the ingredients, particularly the flour, for the very best results. Cups are not an accurate enough measure for good and consistent results when baking.
- Don't over-mix the batter.
- Use really ripe and spotty bananas for the best results. The softer the better.
- Even if your loaf pan is non-stick, I recommend lining the bottom of it with a strip of parchment paper. One long strip that goes along the bottom and overhangs the ends is fine, then it can act as handles for you to easily lift the loaf out once it’s baked. I love USA Pan Loaf Pans.
- I highly recommend topping the loaf with some thick slices of banana before baking. They get really fudgy and delicious once baked.
- How can you tell when it’s cooked properly? You can use the toothpick test. Stick it in the centre and if it comes out clean then it is done. Or gently press down on the center of the loaf. If it bounces back completely, it is done. If your finger leaves a dent in the loaf it needs more time.
- Let the loaf cool completely before you cut it. I know it’s tempting to break into it when it’s still warm, but if you let all of the steam inside escape, you will affect the quality of the crumb and it won’t keep as well.
How to serve
I like to slather my spelt banana bread slices with homemade vegan butter. They are so good together! Nut butter (like almond butter or peanut butter) makes a lovely spreading alternative though, as does chocolate spread. Or just enjoy a slice alone with a cup of tea!
Storage & freezing
Store leftover banana bread in an airtight container for 5 to 6 days.
To freeze, cool the banana bread thoroughly on a cooling rack then wrap really well (either in a freezer-safe storage container or a freezer bag) and place in the freezer. You can keep it whole or slice it prior to freezing. Slicing it enables you to pull out a piece or two as needed rather than defrosting the entire loaf. It can keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost at room temperature. Placing it on a cool rack where air can circulate ensures that it won't get damp as it defrosts.
What do I do if I don't have overripe bananas?
If none of your bananas are super ripe and spotty, simply place 3 of them on a baking tray with their skins still intact and bake them on 350°F (175°C) for 8 minutes. Remove them from the oven. They will be black. Allow them to cool before going ahead with the recipe.
Variations
Keep the base recipe as it is but add any of these variations to make it your own:
- Add chopped nuts or chocolate chips to the batter
- Use all-purpose or white wholewheat flour instead of spelt
- Make spelt banana bread muffins instead of a loaf
- Add some toasted seeds or dried fruits to the batter
- Add fresh or frozen blueberries
- Add shredded coconut
- Top it with a vegan cream cheese frosting.
Hungry for more?
Looking for more spelt recipes? You might also enjoy:
- Vegan Spelt Pancakes
- Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
- Vegan Zucchini Bread
- Healthy Chocolate Banana Muffins
Recipe
Spelt Banana Bread
Author:Ingredients
- 3 medium very ripe bananas , (approx 375 grams or 13 oz in total)
- 60mls (¼ cup) oil of choice , or 4 tablespoons of nut butter
- 115g ( ½ packed cup) sugar , plus a little extra to sprinkle on top before baking. Any sugar will do.
- 1 tablespoon molasses , blackstrap or regular (black treacle in the UK)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 230g (2 cups) spelt flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
OPTIONAL
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom or ground cinnamon
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 8.5 x 4.5 inch or a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Also line it with a strip of parchment paper along the bottom, making sure it comes up over the ends so you can use it as a handle to lift the loaf out once cooked.
- Peel the bananas then add them to a large mixing bowl and mash them with a fork or masher until they are a pretty smooth puree.
- Add the oil/nut butter, sugar, molasses, salt and optional cinnamon or cardamom, then beat well until smooth.
- Add the flour and baking powder to the bowl and gently stir it all together. Do not over-mix. You want it so that it is just combined and you cannot see any dry flour throughout the mixture. Overmixing or beating it hard will affect the texture of the banana bread.
- Pour/spoon the batter into your prepared pan. If you want to you can sprinkle the top with some granulated sugar for a nice crunchy texture, or add some banana slices for decoration.
- Bake in the oven for around 50 minutes or until a tooth pick or skewer comes out clean when inserted through the middle.
- Lift out of the pan, remove parchment paper and cool on a cooling rack.
NOTES
- Weigh the ingredients, particularly the flour, for the very best results. Cups are not an accurate enough measure for good and consistent results when baking.
- Don't over-mix the batter.
- Use really ripe and spotty bananas for the best results. The softer the better.
- Even if your loaf pan is non-stick, I recommend lining the bottom of it with a strip of parchment paper. One long strip that goes along the bottom and overhangs the ends is fine, then it can act as handles for you to easily lift the loaf out once it’s baked. I love USA Pan Loaf Pans.
- I highly recommend topping the loaf with some thick slices of banana before baking. They get really fudgy and delicious once baked.
- How can you tell when it’s cooked properly? You can use the toothpick test. Stick it in the centre and if it comes out clean then it is done. Or gently press down on the center of the loaf. If it bounces back completely, it is done. If your finger leaves a dent in the loaf it needs more time.
- Let the loaf cool completely before you cut it. I know it’s tempting to break into it when it’s still warm, but if you let all of the steam inside escape, you will affect the quality of the crumb and it won’t keep as well.
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience. The data is a computer generated estimate and should be used as a guide only.
This recipe was originally published on November 30th, 2017. I've updated the post with new information and now I am republishing it for you. The actual recipe remains the same. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for following A Virtual Vegan!
Martha says
Hi Mel. In this recipe you call for 2 cups (230 g) of spelt flour. In the Best vegan banana bread recipe, you call for 2 cups of flour (250 g) with spelt as an option. Which is the better choice? I made the best banana bread with 250 g of spelt flour and it turned out great, but should I reduce it to 230 g?
Melanie McDonald says
Hi Martha. Follow it as written and it will be perfect. 230 grams is correct for the spelt banana bread. There is method to madness I promise. I'll try to explain...
1 cup of spelt flour weighs less than 1 cup of all purpose flour, hence the difference. So the one designed to use spelt flour says 230g which is correct. The best banana bread recipe came a few years later and is designed to use all purpose so 2 cups is 250g. But it has the option of using spelt. I didn't specify a different weight for the spelt to simplify it (most people who come here use cups and it's easier to round it up to 2 cups straight rather than say 1¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon and 1½ teaspoon), and because when tested, the extra 20 grams made no noticeable difference with the addition of the extra chocolate chips and nuts. If I made a note there saying to use 230 grams of spelt instead of 250g, one, I only have so much room in the box to type, two, most people probably wouldn't read the note anyway, and three, it would end up confusing some people and I'd end up with loads of emails.😂 I've learnt from past recipes that there are a lot of people who think 1 cup of something weighs the same regardless of what's in it. Trying to explain that both flours weigh a different amount constantly would drive me nuts! 🤣
I hope that's clear. Enjoy the banana bread!
Candice says
Not-so-patiently waited until this pretty, slightly crusty loaf was cool, to cut some slices. Worth the wait! I'm happy with the depth of flavor that the molasses adds! When I want to spruce up a recipe - whether breads or casseroles, etc., a tiny bit of molasses is always a winner in my book! Thanks for sharing this - my husband thanks you, too!
PS - I stirred in about 1/4 c cacao nibs before putting the batter in the pan; that little hit of chocolate goes so well with bananas :D
Melanie McDonald says
I'm really pleased you both enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by to leave a review!
DM says
Hi
Can I sub anything for the molasses as I see that as an ingredient in a lot of your recipes but don't currently have any...I have Carob Molasses...or would golden syrup/maple syrup/honey work?
Many thanks
Danielle
Melanie McDonald says
Just omit it. It won't affect how the recipe technically works. There isn't really anything else that will give the same flavor.
Rochelle says
This is very good. I used whole wheat instead of spelt. Took less than 10 minutes to bring together. Soft inside and delicious crunchy outside, and lots of bananas used up!
Cat says
I try your recipe with all purpose GF flour but turns out so chewy (not soft). I use the same ingridients, also for sugar i use brown sugar. Do you have any suggestion and why my bread turned out so chewy?:(
A Virtual Vegan says
The recipe hasn't been tested with gluten-free flour. When switching the flour other changes need to be made to a recipe to compensate for that. All flours have different qualities and they don't bake the same. It's very rarely a straight swap. That's why the texture wasn't right when you made it. For best results, I recommend following a recipe that is already gluten-free rather than trying to change one that it isn't.
Maureen Cram says
I bought some spelt flour (took me a while to find it here in South Africa) and by then I couldn't remember why I bought it! Sigh... so just looking for recipes in which to use it and found this one! Making tomorrow for sure. I know it will be fantastic - your recipes always are xxx. I am a cardamom fan.. I use it in carrot cake, banana bread and my Christmas stollens. So thank you so much for this recipe and for using cardamom :).
A Virtual Vegan says
I hope you enjoy it Maureen, and there are lots more spelt flour recipes where that came from. It's my favourite flour!