100% Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Recipe by PJ Hamel
245 Reviews 4.7 out of 5 stars

Who doesn't love banana bread? This moist, tender, richly flavored loaf features whole wheat flour, making this a super (and tasty!) way to increase your family's intake of healthy fiber. Using honey as some of the sweetener adds both moistness, and the merest hint of honey flavor.

Want to reduce the carbs and calories in this recipe? Substitute our King Arthur Baking Sugar Alternative for the sugar called for. See how in "tips," below.

Prep
10 mins
Bake
1 hr to 1 hr 5 mins
Total
1 hr 20 mins
Yield
one 9" x 5" loaf
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100% Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Instructions

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  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan.

  2. Mash the bananas with a potato masher or fork; or purée them in a blender or food processor.

  3. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, baking soda, salt, and bananas, beating until well combined. Beat in the honey and eggs.

  4. Add the flour, then the walnuts, stirring until smooth.

  5. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

  6. Bake the bread for 50 minutes, then gently lay a piece of aluminum foil across the top, to prevent over-browning. Bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, then remove the bread from the oven; a long toothpick or paring knife inserted into the center should come out clean.

  7. Allow the loaf to cool for 10 minutes; then remove it from the pan, and set it on a rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature, well wrapped in plastic, for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Tips from our Bakers

  • Want to dress up the bread's crust — and add flavor, too? Mix 2 tablespoons granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over the top of the bread before baking.
  • For banana-pineapple bread, drain a 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple in juice, saving the juice for another use (or to drink). Place the pineapple in a double layer of paper towels, and wring it until it's as dry as can be. Substitute it for one of the bananas in the recipe; you may need to increase the baking time by 5 to 10 minutes.
  • For banana mini muffins, scoop the batter into a mini-muffin pan (in batches), and bake the muffins in a preheated 325°F oven for 10 minutes, or until they test done. Yield: 32 mini muffins.

  • Here's an easy way to reduce the carbs and calories in this recipe: substitute King Arthur Baking Sugar Alternative, cup for cup, for the sugar(s) called for. Be sure to substitute by volume (not weight); follow mixing directions as written. Use the designated oven temperature called for in the recipe. Since our Baking Sugar Alternative will bake and brown more quickly, start checking for doneness three-quarters of the way through the suggested bake time.

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