Delicious Banana Bread & Its Equally Dope Half Vegan Counterpart

I am not sure when a banana bread is called a cake, a loaf, a bread or some combination of the 3. Does anyone know? Nick Malgieri calls this recipe a loaf cake but I can’t help but call it a bread. Calling for a scant  3 tablespoons of butter and 3 egg whites,  it is delicious without being too heavy. 

Perfect for my savory-heavy taste buds that can only take so much of sweet and rich baked goods. Growing up, we would have the occasional tea time with a Vietnamese dessert, which are on the lighter side in the absence of eggs, cream and butter. My mom would go to the bakery and pick up gooey rice balls with split green beans or make mung bean soup sweetened with coconut milk.

The vegan version of this bread is just as good. I made some for my half vegan friend, who is able to eat butter but is constantly being subjected to watch people eat eggy desserts. There are no egg substitutes here, or other weird things. The bananas act as a very moist binder. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for it to bubble like white lava, pushing air bubbles into the loaf. Please don’t quote me on this, as I am not a food scientist.  Recipes are after the jump.

Nick Malgieri’s Banana Loaf Cake

Nick makes a note to mash the banana with a fork or potato masher, not a food processor which dulls the banana taste.

Makes one 9 x 5 x 3-inch cake, about ten 3/4-inch thick slices

2 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 5 large, very ripe bananas--mash then measure)

One 9 x 5 x 3 -inch loaf pan, sprayed with vegetable cooking spray (Nick made a note to coat the pans with some very fine bread crumbs which I failed to do)

1. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
2. Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites to break them up, then whisk in the sugar and the brown sugar.
4. Whisk in the butter and vanilla, followed by the mashed bananas.
5. Sift the flour mixture over the banana mixture and thoroughly fold it in.
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
7. Bake the cake for about 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. 8. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then unmold it and cool completely on a rack.

STORAGE: Nick says to keep the cake wrapped in plastic at room temperature after it has cooled. My kitchen is warm so I keep it in the fridge in Tupperware, to no ill effect. For longer storage, double wrap and freeze for up to a month. Defrost and bring to room temperature before serving.

Vegan Banana Bread (adapted from recipe above)

Same ingredients minus egg and instead of 2 ½ cups of flour, use 2 cups of flour. Additional one tablespoon of lemon.

1. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
2. Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, mix the sugar and the brown sugar.
4. Mix in the butter, followed by the mashed bananas, lemon juice and the vanilla. Mix and whisk very well!
5. Sift the flour mixture over the banana mixture and very thoroughly fold it in.
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
7. Bake the cake for about 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. 8. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then unmold it and cool completely on a rack.

Comments

[Brian]

First you switch to baking, then your blog colors change? I'm worried.

[VeggieGirl]

Whether it truly be a cake, loaf, or a bread, banana-containing baked goods are ALWAYS delicious :0)

[Corinne]

I've heard it called a quickbread, because it's denser than yeast breads and doesn't contain... well.. yeast... which lengthens the bread-making process a lot. :) Yours looks delicious, I must make some one day.

[Michelle]

Brian, don't panic! It's still me, except that I now travel by private jet.

Veggie Girl, yes, very true. I have been eating banana bread for the last couple of weeks and now need a break.

Corinne, quick bread - that makes sense, thanks. Never heard it described that way.

[pooja]

what!!!!
you still have the banana bread?

i want more...

[celine]

what a beautiful loaf! thank you for including its vegan counterpart too.

[Leigh]

I love B-Bread! always good to see new versions!

[Michelle]

Pooja, no I don't have anymore, but there will be more soon.

Celine, Thanks! Happy to include the vegan version.

Leigh, I know, it's so good. Let me assure you that this recipe is great.

[rich]

That looks superb. Will go make it immediately with those aging bananas that always seem to haunt my fruit bowl. Try it with some dried apricots and a little lemon added. Immense.

PS. I'll show my hand - it's a cake.

[Anna G.]

I've had this recipe bookmarked for a few months now and finally got around to trying it. I kept the ingredients identical, but I made banana muffins instead of bread and baked them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. They turned out so so so good! We've tried many banana bread recipes and have never been satisfied until now.

Thanks!