Easy Dairy Free Banana Bread – Delicious & Healthy

Are you a vegetarian or allergic to milk but still want to enjoy banana bread? You can easily modify the various banana bread recipes.

All you have to do is substitute dairy milk in most banana bread recipes with non-dairy milk such as oat milk, almond milk, rice milk, or soy milk, among others.

Also, if the recipe has butter as an ingredient, substitute with plant-based oil such as corn oil, coconut oil, almond oil, and canola oil. Below is an easy recipe for a moist and flavourful dairy-free banana bread with dairy free buttercream frosting

Dairy Free Banana Bread Recipe

• 3 large ripe bananas or 1 and 1/2 cups of mashed ripe bananas
• 375g all-purpose wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup of a plant-based oil
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup plant-based milk

 Instructions

1.  Set the oven temperature at 180C and leave it to preheat
2. Grease a 9X13 inch baking pan
3. Mash the bananas until they form a paste that has minimum lumps. You can use a hand masher or a mixer for the wet ingredients
4. Whisk together all the dry ingredients, including the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Set the bowl aside
5. Put the plant-based oil in a mixing bowl
6. Add the two types of sugar to the vegetable oil
7. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat the oil and sugar at high speed for at least 2 minutes or until the ingredients are fully mixed
8. If need be, scrape the sides of the mixing bowl with a silicone spoon
9. Beat the eggs into the mixing bowl and add the vanilla extract
10. Beat all the ingredients in the mixing bowl at medium speed until all of them are combined
11. Once again, scrape the sides of the bowl if need be
12. Add the mashed bananas to the mixing bowl
13. Beat all the ingredients in the mixing bowl at low speed
14. Continue mixing at low speed as you add the dry ingredient in alternating sequence with the milk in small portions
15. Keep mixing until all the ingredients are incorporated but not overmixed. The banana bread batter should be slightly thick with some lumps
16. Pour the banana bread batter into the greased baking pan and spread it out until it is level
17. Place the baking pan in the oven and set the baking time at 45 minutes. Note that the baking times vary slightly. Therefore, keep an eye on your oven after 30 minutes. You will know that the banana bread is fully baked when you insert a toothpick in the center, and it comes out clean
18. Once the cake is well baked, remove it from the oven and set it aside, allowing it to cool completely at room temperature

Dairy Free Buttercream Frosting Recipe

A fluffy dairy free buttercream frosting will be the perfect icing on your banana bread. Instead of dairy buttermilk and whipping cream, you will use vegan butter and plant-based milk.

Ingredients

•  ½ cup or 1 stick of vegan butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups sugar powder
• 3 cups coconut milk or your preferred dairy free milk

Instructions

1.  Soften the vegan butter and put it in a mixing bowl
2. Using a hand or standalone mixer, beat the vegan butter on high speed for one minute to fluff it and make it light
3. Add the vanilla extract to the mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until the two ingredients are well combined. Scrape the sides with a rubber or silicone spoon
4. Sift the powdered sugar into the mixing bowl. Beat until all the ingredients all well combined, fluffy, and light
5. If the buttercream is too thick, add a tablespoon at a time of the plant-based milk until you achieve your preferred consistency. If you want to make the frosting thicker, add more powdered sugar

Frosting the Dairy Free Banana Bread

Once the banana bread has cooled down completely, spread the frosting on top, then place the frosted banana bread in a refrigerator for at least 30 seconds. This will help to set the frost and make cutting and serving easier.

Note that the frost melts easily and gets spoilt if left at room temperature for too long. If any frosted dairy free banana bread remains after serving, put it back in the refrigerator. Refrigerated dairy free buttercream frost can last up to 5 days.

Tips for Making the Perfect Dairy Free Banana Bread

1. Place the baking tin in the center of the center rack in the oven. This ensures that the bread gets heated uniformly for a moist and even bake
2. Ensure that the bananas are completely ripe. The more brown spots and patches the overripe banana has, the sweeter and more flavorful it is
3. Use only the recommended number of bananas in the recipe you are following. You might think that the more bananas you put, the more flavourful the banana bread will be. Instead, it will be damp, dense, and appear undercooked
4. Ingredients such as plant-based oil, plant-based milk, and eggs should be at room temperature for the best results
5. When greasing the baking tin, ensure that all the areas inside are covered with a sufficient amount of oil. You may use parchment paper instead
6. If you find that your banana bread is browning too much during the baking process, cover the top of the baking pan with aluminum foil
7. Avoid overmixing the batter. Contrary to what you might assume, an overly smooth and thin batter will result in hard, rubbery banana bread.

There you have it, an easy dairy free banana bread recipe with dairy-free buttercream frosting. You can make it for yourself or your family for a snack or breakfast. Or, you can make it as a quick gift for a loved one.