Vegan (eggless) and gluten-free banana strawberry bread is a deliciously moist cake that has the perfect texture and sweet taste. Bake it today using everyday ingredients!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Maskal Teff. The opinions and texts are all mine.
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What is banana bread
It is a soft, spongy, moist sweet bread made with mashed ripe bananas. It has just the right amount of sweetness and flavor. Everyone loves banana bread and there are many ways of making it to suit the needs of different lifestyles.
I first made banana bread back in college and have been a fan ever since. In fact, it is the only way I can eat bananas! Making banana bread is also like therapy for me! I love the aroma in the house when anything being baked.
If you love baking loaf cakes, then check out this unique Chickoo Figs Loaf Cake recipe.
Banana and strawberries
Banana and strawberries make a great combo! The sweet and tart flavor of the strawberries help balance the flavors of the banana bread. It also makes it moist and also visually appealing. Do try this delicious twist to the classic banana bread recipe!
I have made the regular eggless version many times, so this time I wanted to make a gluten-free version using teff flour and strawberries in order to create a healthy yet festive bread recipe to serve during the holidays. After trying out a couple of variations, I have finally settled on this recipe because it's not as dry and dense as one would expect.
Why Teff
Teff is a seed with a subtly sweet, nutty flavor. It also gives the eggless gluten-free banana bread a kind of chocolatey flavor. I have been enjoying cooking with teff (an ancient Ethiopian grain), and have made many recipes such as, Teff Kheer Porridge, Teff idli, Teff Patties, or Teff Masala Khichdi.
Teff is very easy to cook with, greatly flavorful, and extremely nutritious! It is a naturally gluten-free, and vegan grain. It's also the smallest grain on earth. There are many health benefits to including this millet in our diet.
It's a good source of calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, zinc, and dietary fiber. It is also nutrient-dense, rich in protein, non-GMO, and glyphosate-free. You can read more about Teff on Maskal Teff's website. Maskal Teff is available in most leading grocery stores, or you can order directly from their website or Amazon.
Teff comes in 4 different varieties: Brown - has a slightly nutty flavor, Ivory - which has a sweet, mild flavor, Flour that can be used to bake homemade bread, cookies, or cakes and grain which you can use in cereals, soups, stews, etc. In today's banana bread cake recipe, I have used teff flour to make it gluten-free. I am just glad that I could use this flour to make this bread cake. It didn't compromise on the texture or the flavor.
Why make this
- It also has strawberries
- It's eggless and dairy-free banana bread recipe
- Cake is made with gluten-free flour
- Does not contain xanthan gum
- Great way to use up all the ripe bananas you have
- Baking is a great de-stressor
- Best way to use pantry staples
- Needs basic ingredients
- You can cook-along with kids
- It's great for gifting and during the holidays
Ingredients needed 🧾
Flour - I have used Maskal Teff brand's Ivory Teff flour and gluten-free all purpose flour in this recipe. If you are unable to find the ivory teff flour, buy the whole seeds and grind them in a blender or food processor to make nourishing gluten-free flour.
Bananas - Use fully or even over ripe bananas to make bread. It should not be yellow but almost black. If it’s got lots of brown spots then that makes it extra sweet. Ripened bananas convert starches to sugars, which makes them not only sweeter but more flavorful. But please don't use bananas if they smell bad.
Strawberries - Use fresh ripe strawberries. Frozen berries may not work because they have too much water and will weigh down the bread. If you have to add them, then do not thaw them.
Sweetener - I have used brown sugar in this banana bread recipe. It also gives it a nice dark brown color. You can also use jaggery powder, coconut sugar, or regular sugar instead.
Other baking essentials - vanilla extract, nutmeg (it adds that warm and cozy flavor), cinnamon powder, baking powder, baking soda, apple cider vinegar (gives the loaf bread cake a little lift because it reacts with the leavening agents), salt and lemon juice are what you need to make this vegan and gluten-free banana strawberry bread.
Coconut oil - Since this is an eggless banana breadcake recipe, oil acts as a substitute for eggs. Use any vegetable oil or even applesauce.
Nuts - Walnuts in Banana bread give it a nice crunch and flavor. You can also add raisins and/or pecans.
I used a 9x5 loaf pan to bake this vegan gluten-free banana bread cake. If you use a narrower loaf pan, you may have to bake it longer to make sure it is done in the middle of the loaf. Do the toothpick test to check if its done. Also note, every oven is different so baking times will vary.
How to make it 🔪
- In a mixing bowl add peeled bananas and mash them using a fork. You can also use a masher.
- Add brown sugar.
- Then add oil.
- Next add vanilla extract, nutmeg powder, salt, apple cider vinegar, and cinnamon powder.
- Using a whisk, mix all the ingredients together till the sugar melts and that there are no lumps.
- Sift gluten-free all-purpose flour, Maskal Teff ivory flour, baking soda, and baking powder directly over the bowl.
- Fold in the mixture carefully without deflating the batter.
- Add half of the chopped walnuts to the batter at this stage. Give it a light mix.
- In a blender jar, add strawberries, lemon juice and sugar.
- Blitz to make a smooth puree.
- Grease a loaf pan or line it with parchment paper and pour the banana batter into it. Smooth it out with a spatula to make sure the batter is evenly distributed. Drizzle strawberry syrup on top.
- Keep alternating till the pan is filled upto ¾ capacity or till the batter is exhausted. Lightly tap the pan so that there are no air bubbles. Top it with the remaining chopped walnuts. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake this bread cake for 60-70 minutes or do the toothpick test to check if it's done. Once it's done, take it out of the oven.
Serving suggestions 🍽
Let it cool down before inverting it onto a plate. Using a serrated knife, cut slices and serve. Drizzle your favorite glaze on top to make it fancier. I poured leftover strawberry syrup on top. Alternatively, top it with cream cheese frosting of your choice. You can dunk a slice of this eggless strawberry banana bread cake in warm milk and eat or serve it with a vegan buttery spread or even ice cream!
These tea cakes can be served for breakfast or along with your evening tea/coffee session. You can also treat this vegan gluten-free banana bread cake as your dessert fix if craving for something sweet. It is also a great after school snack, for holiday gifting, brunches, special occasions, and during the holidays.
Top recipe tips 💭
You can mash the banana smooth or leave them little chunky. It's based on personal preference. Even frozen bananas can be used! Just let them thaw on the counter and turn into a soupy mess. Feel free to use fresh or frozen strawberries. Thaw them if using frozen. Instead of puree, you can also add chopped strawberries. Skip adding strawberries if you want. It will be regular banana bread. You can also add cranberries or blueberries instead.
You can use gluten-free bread flour or all-purpose flour. Brown sugar makes a denser and moister bread. Alternatively, you can also use white sugar. You can use any vegetable oil in this recipe. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to give the bread a good lift. Skip adding nuts if you have allergies. Use sunflower seeds instead.
To give it a chocolate flavor, add ¾ cup of chocolate chips to the batter. Don’t over mix. Stop mixing when everything comes together. By not over mixing, you’ll get a light cake structure. Every oven is different so the baking time will differ. Keep checking the bread at regular intervals and prevent it from burning.
Recipe FAQs 📖
Normally it takes a banana 24 hours to sometimes even 4-5 days to ripen. Unripe bananas would not give the desired flavor or moisture to the eggless banana bread.
You can place them in a brown bag and just loosely fold the bag at the top. Leave it on your counter for a day or two. Another way of ripening the banana is to peel and place them on a baking tray. Bake at 300 degree F for 15-20 minutes. The slow roasting brings out the sweetness of the bananas and that is what we want.
Replace 1 egg with: ¼ cup of vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon vinegar, ¼ cup applesauce, ¼ cup yogurt, or¼ cup mashed banana.
You can also whirl ¼ cup silken tofu in a blender, by gradually adding little water until smooth. Add this instead of an egg. Flax egg can also be used. Stir together 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed in 3 tablespoons water until thick and gelatinous.
If adding nuts, toast them before adding for extra flavor. Skip if you have a nut allergy. You can also add toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. Add choco chips along with strawberries if you like chocolate flavored banana bread.
Keep the Banana Strawberry Bread covered or wrap it in plastic wrap to keep it from drying out. You can leave it on your countertop the day you bake it. But, after a day, keep the gluten-free bread cake in the fridge, and warm it gently in a toaster oven or microwave as and when needed.
You can store the eggless banana bread in the fridge for 3-4 days. It freezes well too. Make individual slices of this whole wheat banana bread and freeze them for 3 months. Then toast the slices you want (it tastes so good toasted!) from frozen or defrost them to eat untoasted.
Yes, instead of using a 9x5 loaf pan, you can use a muffin tray. Just pour the batter in a muffin tin lined with paper liners. Then bake for about 20-24 minutes. Alternatively, you can also use mini loaf pans or a Bundt pan.
I have made it with whole wheat flour and almond flour. You can also mix in oat flour or spelt flour. Regular all-purpose flour can also be used. Coconut flour is really heavy and will soak up moisture, so its best to avoid it.
This vegan gluten-free banana bread cake recipe also converts well to baking in a bread machine. You can delay start and wake up to yumminess! This strawberry banana bread can also be made in the air fryer and Instant Pot. I have not tried these methods though.
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Recipe 📖
Vegan Gluten-free Banana Strawberry Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 fully ripe bananas
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Maskal Teff Ivory flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
To prepare strawberry syrup
- 15-20 strawberries
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1-2 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl add peeled bananas and mash them using a fork. You can also use a masher.
- Add brown sugar.
- Then add oil.
- Next add vanilla extract, nutmeg powder, salt, apple cider vinegar, and cinnamon powder.
- Using a whisk, mix all the ingredients together till the sugar melts and that there are no lumps.
- Sift gluten-free all-purpose flour, Maskal Teff ivory flour, baking soda, and baking powder directly over the bowl.
- Fold in the mixture carefully without deflating the batter.
- Add half of the chopped walnuts to the batter at this stage. Give it a light mix.
To prepare the strawberry syrup
- In a blender jar, add strawberries, lemon juice and sugar.
- Blitz to make a smooth puree.
To bake the bread
- Grease a loaf pan or line it with parchment paper and pour this batter into it. Smooth it out with a spatula to make sure the batter is evenly distributed. Drizzle strawberry syrup on top.
- Keep alternating till the pan is filled upto ¾ capacity or till the batter is exhausted. Lightly tap the pan so that there are no air bubbles.
- Top it with the remaining chopped walnuts.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake this bread cake for 50-60 minutes or do the toothpick test to check if it's done. Once it's done, take it out of the oven.
- Let it cool down before inverting it onto a plate. Using a serrated knife, cut slices and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
My husband will only eat whole wheat desserts, so this is perfect!! Healthy and delicious!
That's good to know. If that's the case, also check out ghee cookies here made with wheat flour.
Love the combination of Banana and Strawberry to this yummy and delicious moist bread. This is surely a Tea Time treat.
Yes, it really is. Thank you so much.
I'm always on the hunt for new bread recipes and this looks like a total winner! Strawberry and banana is always a winning combo!
Thank you so much. Yes, do give it a try
Can you believe that all of the stores around me (AND AMAZON!!) is sold out of whole wheat flour??? Next time I see it in stores I will DEFINITELY give this a go!
Oh no! Hope things get better soon. But yes, you can make this bread using all purpose flour.
I love banana bread too but have never made it with strawberries. Such a lovely combination. Your cake looks beautiful!
Oh yes, its a nice addition to banana bread!