Dairy-free banana bread
Moist, tender banana loaf made without dairy — simple, reliable and perfect for breakfast or a cheeky slice with tea.
This is your no-fuss, dairy-free banana bread — the sort of loaf that turns tired bananas into instant breakfast joy. It’s moist, reliable and happy to be sliced for pudding, toast or mid-morning tea.
No weird dairy substitutes required: a little oil and non-dairy milk keep it tender and flexible. Use very ripe bananas for the best flavour and sweetness.
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas — about very ripe, freckled; the riper the sweeter
- 150 g caster sugar
- 80 ml sunflower oil
- 2 eggs — medium
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 50 ml non-dairy milk — soya, oat or almond
- 250 g plain flour
- 5 ml bicarbonate of soda
- 5 ml baking powder — ensure fresh
- 5 ml ground cinnamon — optional but recommended
- 5 ml fine sea salt
- 75 g dairy-free dark chocolate (optional) — roughly chopped; makes the loaf more indulgent
Equipment
- loaf tin (23 x 13 cm)
- wire rack
Instructions
Heat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C conventional. Line a 23 x 13 cm loaf tin with baking paper, leaving a little overhang for easy removal.
Peel the ripe bananas and place in a large mixing bowl. Mash with a fork until mostly smooth with a few small lumps remaining.
Add the caster sugar, sunflower oil, eggs, vanilla extract and non-dairy milk to the mashed bananas. Whisk together until evenly combined and glossy.
Sift the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a separate bowl. Add the ground cinnamon and fine sea salt, then whisk briefly to distribute.
Tip the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and fold together gently with a spatula until just combined — a few streaks of flour are fine. Do not overmix; overworking will make the bread heavy.
If using, fold in the dairy-free dark chocolate so it’s evenly distributed.
Spoon the batter into the lined loaf tin, level the top with a spatula and bake in the centre of the oven for 55 minutes. After 45 minutes, start checking by inserting a skewer into the centre — it should come out with a few moist crumbs but not raw batter. If the top is browning too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the remaining time.
Remove the loaf from the oven and leave to rest in the tin for 10 minutes. This helps it settle and reduces the risk of it collapsing.
Lift the loaf from the tin using the baking-paper overhang and transfer to a wire rack to cool for a further 30 minutes before slicing.
Tips
- Very ripe bananas (lots of brown spots) give the best banana flavour and natural sweetness — don’t be tempted to use green fruit.
- If the top browns too quickly, tent a sheet of foil loosely over the tin halfway through baking.
- To freeze: slice when fully cooled, freeze in a single layer on a baking tray then transfer to a box; defrost slices at room temperature or warm gently in the oven.
- For an extra-moist crumb, swap 20 ml of the oil for 20 g dairy-free yoghurt (add to the wet mix).
- If you don’t have a skewer, press the centre lightly — it should spring back slowly, not feel liquid.
Substitutions
sunflower oil → melted coconut oil, same quantity (80 ml)
Stays closeeggs → 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tbsp water, set 5 minutes)
Noticeably differentplain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend, 1:1
Noticeably differentcaster sugar → light brown sugar, same weight (150 g) — gives a deeper, caramel note
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 275
- Calories
- 4 g
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 19 g
- Sugar
- 150 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How ripe should the bananas be?
Very ripe — dark-speckled or mostly brown skins. The riper they are the sweeter and more banana-flavoured the loaf will be.
Can I make this vegan?
Yes: replace the eggs with flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 6 tbsp water, left 5 minutes). Texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
Why did my banana bread sink in the middle?
Common causes are underbaking, opening the oven too early, or overmixing the batter. Use the skewer test and fold the dry mix in gently.
Can I add nuts or seeds?
Yes — add up to 75 g chopped walnuts or seeds folded in at the same stage as chocolate. Note: the recipe as written is nut-free; adding nuts changes that.
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