This healthy banana bread is soft, naturally sweet, moist and easy to make with very ripe bananas. I add a touch of coffee for depth and cut the sugar right back, so you taste the fruit rather than just sweetness.
There usually is too much sugar in these types of sweet banana cakes, so this is perfect for my family! Thank you, we love the touch of coffee, too. - Bernadette
Why This is a Healthy Banana Bread Recipe
This healthy banana bread is made with oil, ripe bananas and nuts, creating a soft, moist texture with much less sugar (less than half of most recipes).
Sometimes I leave the sugar out entirely and no one notices - especially if you're topping it with jam, nut butter or cream cheese.
Like most banana bread recipes, it's easily adapted with buckwheat or rye flour for a nutty, rustic twist.
What to Do with Overripe Bananas? Make Banana Bread
Bananas were always our go-to brain food when the girls were growing up. Ironically, they never wanted them perfectly yellow - only when they turned spotty and brown. That's when they'd ask for banana bread to use up overripe bananas. They had method in their madness!
Tip: Use very ripe bananas (dark and speckled) for the best flavour and natural sweetness. If they're ready before you are, freeze them.
Keep bananas out of the fridge.
Once they're fully ripe (dark brown and heavily speckled), use them straight away for banana bread. Otherwise freeze them until you're ready to bake and defrost before using.
What Ripe Bananas Do in a Cake
The riper the bananas, the better the banana bread. As they darken, their starch turns to sugar, which means more sweetness and a softer texture.
Mash them into a purée and you'll get a moist crumb without needing much added sugar.
Banana and Coffee in a Cake?
I borrowed the idea of adding coffee from Nigella (in her book, Nigellissima) and it works. It doesn't taste like coffee cake; it simply deepens the banana flavour.
Think of it as a quiet background note rather than the main event.
If you love coffee in cakes, make chocolate coffee cakes with their coffee glaze.
Best Flours for Banana Bread
The best flour for banana cake is all-purpose flour. If using self-raising flour, skip the baking powder.
For extra flavour and texture, mix in a little chestnut, buckwheat (both are gluten-free), or rye flour - just be sure to sift them well before combining.
In France, especially in Corsica, chestnut flour is often used in breakfast cakes and pairs beautifully with banana (see this moist banana nut bread). It's rich but pricey and sometimes hard to find.
How to Make Banana Bread with Coffee
The detailed printable recipe is below.
This banana bread is simple to make. Use very ripe bananas and mix everything in one bowl.
First mash together the bananas using a fork, add a pinch of salt and beat in the oil. Stir in both eggs.
Add the flour(s) with the baking soda and baking powder.
Stir in the coffee powder until dissolved and ingredients are well combined.
Add the chopped walnuts (pecans or other nuts), either to the batter or on the surface to toast them in the oven. Or do both.
Transfer to the tin. Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes, leave to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes then upturn onto a cooling rack.
How Long Does Banana Bread Keep?
Although delicious on the day of baking, this matures nicely and stays moist wrapped in foil or stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
This banana bread also freezes well for up to 3 months. Defrost the night before.
How to Serve
Slice and serve for breakfast or teatime (goûter). It's delicious with cream cheese or peanut butter and pairs perfectly with coffee.
Thanks to the ripe bananas, it gives steady energy without added sugar.
More Banana Recipes - Without Added Sugar
Here are a few more recipes made with naturally sweet ripe bananas without any added sugar.
- Healthy banana oat muffins (no added sugar)
- Gluten-free banana muffins (vegan, egg-free)
- Chocolate banana bread (marble style)
- Moist banana nut bread
The recipe below can also make 18 banana coffee muffins. Why not also add a few fresh blueberries in them?
For more recipes and fun facts, see the Bananas Guide.
Healthy Banana Bread with Coffee
Equipment
- Loaf tin (900g / 2lb) (9x5 inch) non-stick (otherwise grease the tin)
Ingredients
- 5-6 medium bananas (or 450g without skins) very ripe
- 100 ml (3½ floz/ ½ cup) neutral-tasting oil grapeseed/canola or olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 medium eggs organic
- 150 g (5½oz/ 1¼ cup) all-purpose flour see notes
- 100 g (3½oz/ ¾ cup) rye flour or buckwheat flour, sifted
- ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 75 g (3oz/½ cup) soft brown sugar optional
- 40 g (1½oz/ 3 tbsp) chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1½ tablespoon instant coffee powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F (150°C fan/gas mark 3).
- Mash the bananas to a purée, add the salt and beat in the oil and eggs.
- Sift the flours and gradually beat into the mixture, adding the bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, coffee powder and walnuts.
- Pour the batter into the loaf tin, place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a cake tester/knife comes out clean.
- Leave the cake in the tin to cool for about 10 minutes, then turn out on to a wire tray to cool.
Notes
Also freezes well for up to 3 months - just defrost the night before. Banana Muffins: This batter also makes 18 muffins. Just pour into a non-stick muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes in a hotter oven 200°C/400°F (180°C fan/Gas 6). Or try these gluten-free banana muffins. Flour: if using self-raising flour instead of all-purpose, omit the baking powder. There's no need to sift but recommend sifting rye, chestnut or buckwheat flours are they are more prone to lumping in the packet. Optional Sugar: We don't add sugar since prefer adding toppings but if you prefer eating this cake on its own, we recommend adding the small amount of soft brown sugar. Also works well with coconut sugar. Per 61g slice without sugar: 3g protein, 16g carbohydrates, glycemic index: 10
This recipe was first published September 13, 2015 but is now completely updated with quantities increased for a bigger 9x5inch standard USA loaf tin.
Emma
I made this with 2/3rd the amounts, included about 25g sugar, mostly wholemeal and rye flour, and popped them into silicone muffin tray - it made 12. They came out really well after 25-30mins. Will make again and remember to put the walnuts in before pouring into the muffin tray ;-). Thanks Jill. From E in France.
Jill Colonna
Thrilled you liked them as muffins - and next time just plop the walnuts on top. Thanks for popping back in to tell us!
Bernadette L.
Yes, there usually is too much sugar in these types of sweet cakes, so this is perfect for my family! Thank you, we love the touch of coffee, too.
Jill Colonna
Here's to some coffee in coffee cake! So happy you like it.
Luisa Bellissimo
Just made these, my husband was impress. I can't wait for our twin grandsons to enjoy them on Thursday, for you American Thanksgiving!
They were perfect!
Jill Colonna
So lovely to hear that you'll be enjoying this with your grandsons this week. Have a most wonderful and delicious Thanksgiving - thank you for stopping by to say hello. Enjoy the recipes!
Liz
Julie is one smart cookie! I have a freezer full of ripe bananas and your banana cake looks like one terrific way to use them up 🙂
Jill Colonna
Bananas in the freezer? Now that's a great tip Liz. Next time I won't feel "obliged" to make something with them straight away!
Christina @ Christina's Cucina
This cake sounds and looks lovely, so I can understand the bananas being left to over-ripen! Julie is a smart girl! I think it's going to take me a while to get used to being able to cook/bake with nuts now that Denisa is on the East Coast! Never had or used chestnut flour before. Lots of possibilities! 🙂
Jean-Pierre D
I always knew your girls were clever. Must try this - looks good, especially as it's a while since I used chestnut flour. Thanks for sharing Jill.
Jill Colonna
Clever? Think it's rather sneaky really 😉 I love using chestnut flour and appreciate it even more at breakfast. Enjoy Jean-Pierre x