Chai Spiced Banana Bread

We just got 5 inches of snow, and after frolicking around my back yard, shoveling the porch and back walkway, and taking way too many pictures outside, I’m pretty frozen. Like, numb fingertips, need-warmth-now frozen. I always reach for a big cup of tea when I’m cold, and today is no exception. Except today I’m drinking herbal tea and getting my chai fix in the form of banana bread. 

I usually plan out my upcoming blog posts weeks in advance. Having a plan makes this whole operation seem easier and more meaningful. Except, sometimes I get a craving for something and it doesn’t feel right to make you wait a month when I could just rearrange my schedule and post it right away. So, here we are. I made this banana bread Saturday, photographed it Sunday, and have been snacking on it ever since. 

Last week we had a few black bananas withering away in the kitchen, and I knew they’d eventually become banana bread. The thing is, I wasn’t really craving banana bread. I was craving gingerbread or spice cake or SOMETHING full of bold, spicy flavors. A few days later I got a craving for a chai tea latte and something clicked: load up my favorite banana bread recipe with tons of chai spices and get the best of both worlds. Sweet, dense banana bread and bold, spicy winter flavors. Problem solved.

I naively thought this chai spiced banana bread might be a novel concept, that I had struck some sort of brilliance in the form of an original recipe. Think again: a quick Google search for chai banana bread yields page after page of recipes. Darn! Turns out there are no original thoughts left out there. 

Regardless of its inherent lack of originality, this banana bread is absolutely perfect. A heavy-handed dose of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, black pepper, and vanilla all go into the batter; a sprinkle of sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom goes on top for extra spice and texture. Since I love my chai with a drizzle of honey, I used it as the sole sweetener in this recipe. As a bonus, the honey helps keep the loaf soft for days.

If you’re snowed in, or just in need of some wintery baking, this banana bread recipe is for you. It comes together in just minutes, with simple pantry ingredients. Just make sure your bananas are extra ripe (read: the blacker the better) for maximum sweetness and floral banana flavor. Happy baking, friends! 

As always, I’d love to know how this recipe turns out for you. Leave a comment below letting me know, or take a picture and share it with me on Facebook or Instagram (#bakedgreens). 

Chai Spiced Banana Bread

Chelsea Colbath

A dense, sweet loaf of banana bread that's full of chai spices. This loaf is naturally sweetened with honey and loaded with good-for-you ingredients like whole wheat flour and olive oil, but tastes just as good as grandma's classic.

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TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

• 3-4 very ripe bananas*
• 1/3 cup olive oil can sub melted coconut oil or melted butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour**
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

• 2 Tablespoons sucanat aka natural sugar cane- can sub brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom

Instructions

 

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a standard loaf pan with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
• 2. Add bananas, oil, honey, egg, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl, and mash with a potato masher until fully combined.
• 3. Add all remaining ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon/rubber spatula. Scoop batter into prepared pan.
• 4. Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl, and sprinkle over the top of the batter. Put pan into the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until fully cooked. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Notes

*Make sure your bananas are very ripe (I.e. covered in spots at a minimum, but mostly brown is still fine to use). If your bananas are very large, use 3. If they're small-medium, use 4. Slight variations in the amount of banana won't make a major difference in this recipe.
**White whole wheat flour has a more mild flavor than traditional whole wheat. You can substitute equal parts of whole wheat and all purpose instead of the white wheat, if needed. The spices mask any flavor of wheat in this recipe.

Adapted from my Whole Wheat Banana Bread