Fat free banana bread that does not taste fat-free.
It is so soft and buttery.
I’m trying really hard not to say “moist” because I know everyone hates that word!
This bread actually wasn’t supposed to be fat-free. In fact, I was quite upset upon discovering—midway through preparing the recipe—only about a teaspoon’s worth of coconut oil lingered in my sad little jar. (Note to self: gather all ingredients before starting to cook a recipe. Will I ever learn?)
Since I’d already begun, I wasn’t going to put the recipe on hold; my heart stomach was set on banana bread! Option one was to use olive oil. However, I worried the oil’s strong flavor might affect the taste of my not-yet-tested banana bread recipe.
Option two was to make a Single-Serving Banana Bread.
But I really wanted a whole loaf. And I also wanted a new recipe so I could post about it, which is always more exciting than when I post about a recipe I’ve already published. Many lovely bloggers and readers assured me on twitter that fat-free would be fine. So I made a few changes and hoped for the best… I never imagined the results would be so good!
For maximum enjoyment: Eat this for breakfast, while still in your pjs!
Fat Free Banana Bread
(Makes 10-12 slices)
- 2 c spelt, white, or arrowhead mills gf flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 c milk of choice OR oil
- 1 and 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, agave, or honey (Or, here’s a Sugar-Free Version.)
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- pinch uncut stevia OR 1 tbsp additional agave/maple syrup
- 1 and 2/3 c tightly-packed, mashed banana (measured after mashing)
- 1/3 cup berries of choice, or more banana (I actually used 1 full cup of sliced strawberries. The resulting bread was extremely gooey, but I loved it that way!)
Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine dry ingredients, and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients and mix into dry. (Mix by hand, and don’t overmix.) Pour into a greased loaf pan and cook for 35-50 minutes, depending on how gooey you want it. (Tip: If the top is cooked but the inside is still gooey, put tin foil over the top and continue to cook.) After removing from the oven, let cool for ten minutes before slicing. After the first day, this bread is best stored in the fridge. Or cut into slices and freeze for later.
Nutrition Information at a Glance:
- 130 calories
- 0 grams of fat
- 0 mg cholesterol
- Fiber depends on the flour you use
Add around 20 extra calories for the Polka-Dot Banana Bread.
Question of the Day:
Do you ever lower the fat in a recipe or substitute applesauce for the oil?
I know many people are conscious of fat, so I try to offer lower-fat options whenever possible in my recipes. Yet, my own diet is actually pretty high in fat. I think “fat” has gotten a bad name. It sounds so negative, and society likens it to the devil. But, especially if you’re young and healthy, cutting out healthy fats (such as oils and nuts) can wreak havoc on your organs, skin, and hair.
As for this particular banana bread? It really does taste wonderful on its own. However, my slice didn’t stay fat-free for long. I painted that baby in a nice, thick coat of peanut butter. It was delicious!
I’ve made this twice since I found your blog (only about a month ago) and loved it both times. The first was made with extra banana and the second with blueberries. I’ll definitely keep making it.
This is now my go-to recipe for banana bread. It yields GREAT results. More power to it that its fat free! I don’t even like bananas but this is ah-maze-zing. Thanks for sharing!
PS: I featured this recipe on my blog, here: http://dimplesinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/05/fat-free-banana-bread.html
Thank you so much. I’m honored :).
Before I tell you how amazing this recipe is, I just want to say your blog is the only one I’ve ever commented on, and the only one I check often. I like to bake as a stress reliever, so in the past 48 hours I’ve tried 5 of your recipes (I know that’s kind of crazy) and each one was incredible-not just for being healthy and vegan, but in general. Honestly, I’ve never made something following the recipe exactly and fell in love with the product, but for all of your recipes I did! I don’t know how you do it, but I’m glad you do. There’s no reason for me to even look at other blogs because nothing can compare to yours 😀 I even used to not eat dessert foods because they made me feel sick, but now I can! Yay! Okay, sorry for the long post…I promise I won’t comment every time I try another recipe since we all know they’re all great and I don’t want to clog your inbox lol
Wow, Megan, I think this is one of the sweetest comments I’ve EVER gotten. I wish you could see how much it made me smile!!
LOVED this recipe!!! SO delicious! gave it to my dad for his birthday! My family ate it for desert, so good!
I sub with apple sauce almost always. Usually the only thing high in fat I eat is peanut butter. I absorb fat really easily, so I can’t really have that much.
I made this recipe double chocolate! Fired up the oven in crazy summer heat just for this delicious recipe.. It is lovely and rich, thanks so much Katie! If anyone wants to check out how it went it’s at http://fictionsfactsfractiousness.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/chocolate-chunk-banana-bread-oil-and.html
I love your chocolate version!
I too feel the need to add chocolate to anything and everything so I’m glad you liked it! 🙂 Thanks so much, Katie!
Katiiiie!
I literally just finished eating this and I am in banana heaven : )
I may or may not have just eaten about half the loaf . . . but all smeared in coconut oil I just couldn’t keep my paws off!!!
Highly recommended!
Thank you for another exceptional recipe, gorgeous gorgeous girl!
Aw thank you for trying it! It’s my favorite part of blogging, when someone actually makes what I post :).
Wow! Best banana bread ever! Im not vegan and this bread is by far better than any banana bread I have made or tasted! Thanks Katie!
Katie, you are awesome!! We found out in January that my 8 yr old niece is lactose intolerant and I have a sneaking suspicion that my tummy doesn’t like dairy (and possibly other foods). I often joke that my niece inherited my genes, not her mother’s, because of her LOVE for chocolate, baked goods, and ice cream. Unfortunately, those are all things that aren’t friendly to those of us who can’t have dairy. A friend of mine and her son have many food allergies and they linked to some of your tasty treats on Facebook. This banana bread was the first thing I saw that I knew I *had* to make… I actually made some of the other treats first, but I am so glad that you’ve committed to this blog. It is nice to find dairy-free chocolately treat recipes all in one place! Thank you!!!
Aw thank you for trying it, Monica! 🙂
so… i don’t have any baking powder. I do have the soda tho. any subs i could make?
Sorry, they’re not the same and I don’t think it’d work 🙁