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whole wheat banana bread recipe
- Total Time: 80 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This whole wheat banana bread recipe features a unique tahini-cardamom swirl, offering a tender crumb and complex, nutty flavor. It’s a satisfying make-ahead breakfast or snack that elevates the classic comfort loaf.
Ingredients
- 3 large bananas (about 1.5 cups mashed), very ripe
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (canola or sunflower)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (alcohol-free)
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom (for batter)
- 1/4 cup tahini, well stirred
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom (for swirl)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter or neutral oil
- 1–2 tablespoons milk (dairy or plant-based)
- Pinch ground cardamom (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Prep Oven and Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mash very ripe bananas until mostly smooth. Whisk in brown sugar, neutral oil, room temperature eggs, and vanilla until well combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon cardamom until evenly distributed.
- Fold Batter Together: Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, folding gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; a few streaks of flour are acceptable.
- Prepare Tahini Swirl: In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon cardamom, and melted butter or oil. Add milk gradually until the mixture reaches a thick, pourable consistency.
- Layer and Swirl Batter: Pour half of the banana bread batter into the prepared pan. Drizzle half of the tahini swirl over the batter, then gently swirl with a knife or skewer to create a marbled effect.
- Finish Layering: Add remaining banana bread batter over the swirled layer. Drizzle remaining tahini swirl on top and repeat gentle swirling on the surface.
- Bake Loaf: Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil for the last 15-20 minutes.
- Cool Completely: Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely (1-2 hours) before slicing.
Notes
To avoid a dense loaf, be careful not to overmix the batter. Use very ripe bananas for natural sweetness and moisture. Cool the bread completely before slicing to ensure the loaf sets properly and prevent crumbling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 160 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
Keywords: whole wheat, banana bread, tahini, cardamom, quick bread, breakfast, snack, baked goods
