Classic banana bread gets a healthy update with the addition of white whole wheat flour, maple syrup, and olive oil, while remaining every bit as sweet, comforting, and satisfying as the original!
I am very particular about my bananas.
To me, fully yellow, tiny-spot-covered bananas are at peak deliciousness. If I could just figure out how to keep them suspended in ripeness forever, I would happily eat one every single day. A day before, or a day after this is fine. Green tips on the banana? No thank you. I’ll leave those ones for Sarah, my freak of a sister who can eat a banana that tastes like a raw eggplant (really-go sniff a raw eggplant, and then take a bite of an under ripe banana. I’m not making this stuff up; they taste the same).
See, I told you I had strong opinions about bananas. Don’t even get me started on the need to purchase organic + fair trade bananas. That’s another topic for another day; but know this: the banana industry has a long, dark, dirty history, and you’re better off paying another 20 cents per pound to ensure the people + the planet weren’t exploited in the process of growing this beautiful yellow fruit. Because they are, every day.
The thing is, when you love your bananas on the verge over overripe, you find yourself with lots of leftover overripe bananas on a regular basis. Sometimes my excess bananas make their way into the freezer for smoothies and banana ice cream, but more often than not, they turn into banana bread.
I’ve made them into muffins, added peanut butter and chocolate and chai spices, used almond flour instead of whole wheat, and even added zucchini into the mix. All of those are great versions, but sometimes, you just want the classic.
This recipe is the original; the one that started it all. It’s my go-to banana bread recipe that I’ve been making in one form or another for the better part of the last decade. If you’ve spent much time around me, I’ve likely made it for you.
There are a few things that set this apart from the rest of the banana bread recipes out there.
(Side note: have you googled ‘banana bread’ recently? There are 19 Million results. NINETEEN MILLION. Apparently the world is obsessed with banana bread).
First, this banana bread is made with whole wheat flour. White whole wheat is my favorite, since it’s made from a lighter tasting wheat strain, thus yielding a less wheat-centric tasting loaf. I frequently make this recipe for people who aren’t big on ‘whole wheat’ things, and they gobble it up nonetheless.
Secondly, it’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup, which adds extra moisture to this recipe as well as a subtle, caramel sweetness to every bite. Most traditional banana bread recipes call for 1 cup of sugar, but here we’re only using 1/3-1/2 cup of maple syrup, and trust me, it’s just right.
Lastly, olive oil is my go-to fat for this loaf; melted coconut oil or butter both work equally well, and I have no issue with using either. But, since olive oil is always on my counter, doesn’t need to be melted, and adds a complex flavor profile to this loaf (without being overly olive oil flavored), it’s typically my first choice.
And did I mention it’s made in 1 bowl in less time than it will take for your oven to preheat? If that’s not reason enough to start stockpiling ripe bananas, I don’t know what would be.
If you make this recipe, leave me a comment below and let me know what you think! And don’t forget to take a picture and share it with me on Instagram so I can see all your beautiful banana bread creations.
Whole Wheat Maple + Olive Oil Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 3 large or 4 small very ripe bananas*
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil**
- 1/3-1/2 cup maple syrup***
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour****
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a loaf pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray.
- 2. Peel and mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl.
- 3. Add oil, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla, and mix to combine.
- 4. Next, add in all remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Don't worry about a few lumps in the batter.
- 4. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown and firm. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack and cooling completely.
- 5. Stored in a sealed container, banana bread can last for 5 days at room temperature.
Notes
**An equal amount of melted virgin coconut oil or grass-fed butter works great as a swap here!
***Adjust the amount of maple syrup based on your preferences. For lightly sweetened bread, add 1/3 cup, and for a more noticeably sweet loaf, stick with 1/2 cup.
****White whole wheat flour is more mild flavored flour than traditional whole wheat, and is my preferred baking flour. If needed, traditional whole wheat, whole wheat pastry flour, or a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour may be used instead.