Gingerbread Banana Bread – Soft and moist gingerbread combines with sweet homemade banana bread for the ultimate holiday baked good.
Maple Syrup And Agave – Are They Better For You Than Sugar?
Pretty much on a weekly basis, readers ask me what I think of agave, maple syrup, and other alternatives to white sugar.
Are they healthier?
Are they good for you?
Should you replace white sugar with maple syrup?
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While these sweeteners might be a little less unhealthy than table sugar, that doesn’t mean they are good for you.
Sugar is still sugar, and it’s a good idea to cut back no matter what type of sugar you are using, whether it’s maple syrup, agave, honey, coconut sugar, brown sugar, or white table sugar.
I keep this in mind when developing recipes, and most or all of the recipes on my site that call for any type of sugar will have significantly less sugar than traditional versions of the same recipes.
There is, however, one exception: blackstrap molasses.
Blackstrap molasses is by far my favorite sweetener, not just for its gingerbread flavor but also because it offers an incredible number of health benefits packed into one tiny tablespoon, including copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, and 20% of the RDA for both calcium and iron.
If you’re new to molasses, be sure to try my recipe for Vegan Pecan Pie.
Especially around Christmastime, I try to add molasses to as many recipes as I can.
And since I’ve already done regular gingerbread, with my 3 Secret Ingredient Gingerbread Recipe, making banana bread seemed like the logical next step.
If you like gingerbread and bananas, you will love this vegan gingerbread banana bread!
Adapted from my Healthy Banana Bread
Gingerbread Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups mashed banana
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup milk of choice OR oil
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, agave, or honey
- 1/4 cup molasses – blackstrap or regular
- 1 1/2 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp each: baking powder and salt
- 2 cups spelt, white, or bob’s gf flour (260g)
- optional pinch stevia or 3 tbsp sugar for more of a dessert bread
- optional 1/2 cup raisins or crushed walnuts
Instructions
- Grease a 9x5 loaf pan very well, going up the sides. (Or line the pan with parchment.) Preheat oven to 350 F. Whisk the first 6 ingredients together in a bowl, then set aside. In a large bowl, stir remaining ingredients together very well. Pour wet over dry, stir just until evenly mixed, and smooth into the loaf pan. Bake on the center rack for 33 minutes – then do not open the oven even to peek, but turn off the heat. Let sit in the closed oven for 10 additional minutes. Remove and let cool completely before going around the sides with a knife and inverting onto a plate or cutting from the pan. Store leftover slices in the fridge for 2-3 days or freeze for up to a month.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
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If you experiment, definitely be sure to report back! And yes, if I were doing the experiment I would definitely use a smaller pan and shorter baking time. Good luck!
Your pictures are so pretty and appetizing that I feel hungry now. I have prepared gingerbread many times with pleasant results. I am surely trying out your recipe this coming weekend.
Just wondering, why do you include a star rating in your comment when you haven’t made it yet?
Good point – I always wonder that too!
This is So delicious! Only changes I made were to use 1.5 cups whole wheat flour + 1/2 cup oats, and I made 12 muffins instead of a loaf (350° for 17 minutes). I’m in love with this recipe!!
Did you leave the muffins in the oven , with the heat off (as in the directions for the loaf)? If so, how long?
Seconding this! After all the things I’ve read about agave and experienced first hand, I’m still shocked to see it included in ‘healthy’ recipes. Each to their own, but please Katie, do more research on agave yourself and see if you still feel like recommending it as a healthy alternative.
agave is NOT a healthy choice!
I didn’t realize that blackstrap molasses were so good for you, thanks for the recommendation as I’ll stock up!
Suze | LuxuryColumnist
She actually never said anything about maple syrup being as bad as agave. What she said was that both should not be seen as healthy sweeteners and should be limited. There is research that both supports and refutes your claim that agave is the worst sweetener, so I think Katie’s message that ALL sugars should be limited is the right message to send.
Is there anything I can substitute for the molasses? Do you think maple syrup or honey would work?
They will work fine, and you don’t need the extra sugar if you sub for the molasses. Taste will still be great, but the gingerbread flavor will be gone.
Maybe try sorghum.
I just made this with oat flour and it turned out amazingly well. I did end up baking it for 40 minutes as 33 was not enough, and also let it sit in the oven for the 10 minutes once turned off. I personally find the loaf a little sweet for my taste and I didn’t add the extra 3 tbsp of sugar or pinch of stevia. I think next time I’ll also cut the maple syrup in half or omit it completely. All in all though, FANTASTIC recipe. Oh and I upped the spices quite a bit too. YUM!
Thanks for the recipe! it was delicious 🙂 I had to modify the original recipe a bit due to the items in my pantry, but the bread turned out very well. Yum!
This recipe looks great! About how many bananas did you use to get the 1 3/4 cup mashed banana? I know it will vary based on the size of the bananas, but it’d be helpful to at least get an idea. That’d also be helpful information for all of your other recipes that call for a certain measurement of mashed banana 🙂
You probably need three or four medium to large bananas.
Okay, so I have made this bread three times in the last two weeks (it was devoured by my fiance and friend’s kids). The first time I made it it turned out perfectly but these last two times it has taken more than twice the baking time you have listed 🙁 I can’t figure out what is going wrong. I’ve used the same pan, ingredients and baking time/temp every time. I’m baking it right now and we’re at 33 minutes +10 while the oven was off+an extra 50 minutes with tin foil on top (and the oven heating back up) to help cook the middle and it is still raw. Help!
If it was perfect the first time, it might be a climate thing… I don’t know where you’re located, but I know we are having crazy weather suddenly. And climate can have crazy effects on baking.
First time perfect then last 2 times raw in middle. Used same loaf pan, go figure. Otherwise, delicious
Haven’t tried the recipe but I know it’ll be amazing! LOVE your takes on banana bread, Katie!
I made this with whole wheat flour, skim milk, sorghum (instead of molasses), and two tablespoons of Splenda (store brand). It was incredibly delicious and rose nicely. Thanks for a great recipe!
What type of vinegar? Can’t wait to bake and serve this on Christmas morning! Thank you!
White or apple cider vinegar.
Mine was under cooked. Needs more time. I didn’t open the oven!
This sounds amazing! Any idea if it could work as muffins?