This delicious spelt flour banana bread is bursting with banana flavor, and it's made with just a touch of maple syrup for a lower sugar version of the classic.
I've been working on this recipe for a better part of the summer.
It came down to two versions, which had differing amounts of banana and eggs. Jade adamantly stated that one bread was far superior, and I agree! What really cinched this one as the winner was my inability to stop coming back for more.
This recipe is modestly sweetened with just a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup, which allows the banana flavor to shine through. I also like to top the loaf with a good amount of chocolate, though that's optional (kind of). 🙂
Ingredients and substitutions
- Very ripe bananas - Riper bananas equal sweeter bananas.
- Egg
- Milk of your choice
- Vanilla extract
- Maple syrup - Honey will also work.
- Melted butter - I've used olive oil as well, but the butter was preferred in our home.
- Whole grain spelt flour - Whole wheat works as well.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Sea salt
Chocolate chips or chopped chocolate is optional for the top!
Recipe steps
Begin by mashing the bananas. Using very ripe bananas is key, as this adds more sweetness to the recipe.
Mix the bananas in a bowl with the egg, milk, vanilla, maple syrup, and butter. Give it a good stir.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking agents, and salt.
Combine the flour mixture with the banana bowl and stir just until well combined.
Pour the batter into a well-oiled loaf pan and top with chocolate, if desired.
Bake with a tented piece of aluminum foil for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
Recipe notes
You can substitute whole wheat, whole kamut, whole einkorn, and whole wheat pastry flour for the spelt.
Add in one teaspoon of cinnamon if you enjoy it.
If you enjoy nuts, add in 1/3 cup of either chopped pecans or walnuts.
Prefer muffins? Give my healthy Chocolate Banana Muffins or these whole wheat Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins a try!
Spelt Flour Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups mashed banana about 4 bananas
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup milk of your choice
- ⅓ cup melted butter
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups whole spelt flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 ℉.
- In a large bowl, mix the mashed banana, egg, milk, butter, syrup, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and stir gently until combined.
- Pour the batter into a well-oiled 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. You can top with chocolate chips or chopped chocolate at this time.
- Place in the oven with an aluminum foil 'tent' on top and bake for 20 minutes. The tent should be lightly placed over the top, not fitted to the pan.
- After 20 minutes, remove the tent and bake for another 20-30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
- Cool completely before cutting and serving for best results.
Notes
Nutrition
If you have a chance to try this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below letting me know how you liked it!
Mala
I just baked this bread and tastes delicious with just the right amount of sweetness. It’s so soft from the spelt flour . I added chia, hemp seeds along with nuts and dark chocolate on top of the bread . It’s a winner for me . Thank you so much for this recipe
Lauren Goslin
Yay, thank you for your review, Mala! I'm so happy it turned out for you. 🙂