Pecan Cashew Banana Bread

Healthy Vegan Banana Bread made with pecan cashew nut butter and topped with chocolate chips. A fluffy and moist pecan cashew banana bread made with no oil using a super easy one-bowl recipe.

Who doesn’t like banana bread? A firm favourite at coffee shops and cafes abound, especially those hipster Aussie coffee shops with great coffee. But most of the time they are laden with butter, oil or margarine (made of hydrogenated oils). All of which upset the balance of health and flavour nature has created.

However, there is another way to make scrumptious, moist and vegan banana bread that nourishes you. And that’s what this recipe is all about. The secret ingredient? Nut butter!

Already an incredibly versatile ingredient, nut butter just so happens to be – the perfect replacement for butter, margarine or oil in banana bread. Why use nutrient-void oil and margarine or saturated fat-laden butter when you can use whole-food nut butter?

Nut butter provides more vibrant and complex flavours along with a host of nutrients, including more protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.

Here at plant generation, we’ve been keeping our favourite nut butter until last. And it works amazingly well in banana bread, transforming your regular loaf into a luscious cake-like experience. Let us introduce you to bio-activated pecan cashew butter! 

We promise this banana bread recipe will please the pickiest of eaters and curb the sweetest of cravings. There is simply no need to compromise on nutrients or flavour when you can have both!

Did we mention this is a one-bowl vegan banana bread? It’s easy to make and even easier to clean up! Serve it with extra nut butter for spreading and your favourite coffee. So what are you waiting for, get baking with our recipe below

Serves 6 
Serving size 1 slice
Prep and clean time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 medium bananas, make sure they are very ripe, (plus some extra slices for the top)
• 4 tablespoons pecan cashew butter (can be substituted with peanut, cashew or almond butter)
• 115g / 1/2 packed cup of dehydrated raw cane juice, whole coconut sugar or date sugar (you can also blend dates to make a denser loaf)
• 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
• ½ teaspoon salt (We use Celtic sea salt or Himalayan pink salt)
• 230g / 2 cups spelt flour (or millet flour for a lectin-free version)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 85% or more dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs for topping (optional)
• A handful of Pecans or cashews for topping (optional) or smash them into pieces in a food processor and add-in to loaf recipe.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Line a loaf tin or small baking tin with parchment paper, making sure it comes up over the ends – the ends can be used as a handle to lift the loaf out once cooked.
3. Peel the bananas then mash them in a large bowl with a fork until a puree.
4. Add the nut butter, sugar, molasses, and salt. Whisk until smooth. 
5. Add the flour and baking powder and mix gently. Don’t over mix! The mixture should be combined without any of the dry flour visible.
6. Pour into your prepared pan.
7. OPTIONAL – top with some sliced banana
8. Bake for around 30-50 minutes (depends on your oven). Check for readiness by inserting a toothpick or skewer through the middle. It’s ready if it comes out clean.
9. Once it’s golden ready, take the loaf out of the oven, lift out of the pan and remove parchment paper. Let it cool on a cooling rack.
10. Slice and if you really want to impress, serve with

Nutrition Facts