Low Fat Banana Bread
I have been making my favorite low fat banana bread recipe for many years. This is my go to recipe and the bread is always moist and packed full of banana flavor and goodness. After trying many other banana bread recipes, this one remains at the top of my list! The best thing about this bread is that it not only tastes great but it has less sugar, fat and calories than most other banana bread recipes.
Banana bread is a great way to use up those over-ripe bananas sitting on your kitchen counter. The riper the bananas the more flavorful the bread will be. Nuts are optional and the bread is just as delicious without them. Banana nut bread makes a delicious, quick breakfast treat, accompaniment to a salad, or a yummy dessert and who doesn’t love the smell of banana bread baking in the oven?
Ingredients needed for Low Fat Banana Bread:
- 3 large ripe bananas
- 2 tbsp. canola oil
- 1/3 cup reduced-fat milk (2%)
- 2 egg whites or 1 whole egg
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you like it). I prefer to use 1/2 cup sugar.
- salt
- baking soda
- baking powder
- flour
- vanilla
- chopped walnuts, optional
How to make Low Fat Banana Bread:
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl with a fork, leaving a few chunky pieces for better texture.
- Add the egg, oil, milk, sugar and vanilla to the banana mixture and beat well.
- Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together and add to the banana mixture. Mix all of the ingredients together until they are moistened, but take care not to overmix the batter.
- If using chopped nuts fold them gently into the batter.
- Spray an 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pan well with cooking spray and pour in the batter. If desired, parchment paper could be used to line the pan in place of cooking spray.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes before removing the loaf from the pan. Invert the loaf onto a cooling rack.
Variations:
- If you prefer you can make this bread without nuts. This would cut down on the calories and fat content and the bread is just as delicious without them. You could use pecans in place of the walnuts.
- Chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, cinnamon, raisens, or cranberries can be added in to switch things up.
- Try drizzling a vanilla glaze over the loaf while warm – Yum!
- Add some orange or lemon zest into the batter for a pop of citrus flavor and top the loaf with a citrus flavored glaze.
- To make a glaze simply mix powdered sugar and a little milk in a small bowl to make a thin glaze and add vanilla or orange/lemon zest or flavoring of your choice. Spoon the glaze over the warm loaf.
- Fold some blueberries into the batter right before baking to make blueberry banana bread.
- You can easily double this recipe so you have an extra loaf on hand to put in the freezer.
Can I use frozen bananas?
Frozen bananas can be used in place of fresh bananas. Just unthaw the bananas by leaving them on the counter for two hours or overnight in the refrigerator. You can unthaw them in the microwave on 50% power. For three bananas it will take approximately 2-3 minutes, depending on your microwave. You may need to drain off the excess liquid if using frozen bananas because they give off liquid as they unthaw. Too much liquid in the batter will make the bread too dense.
How to store banana bread:
Wrap the bread in foil or place in a plastic storage bag when completely cooled. After 24 hours, place the bread in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to seven days. It can be frozen and unthawed when ready to use.
Try these other baked treats:
Blueberry Streusel Sweet Bread
Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins
Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Bread
Low Fat Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas
- 2 large egg whites May use 1 whole egg in place of egg whites
- 2 tablespoons canola oil or other neutral oil
- 1/3 cup 2% reduced fat milk
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar I prefer 1/2 cup sugar but you can use 1/3 cup if desired. The bread will be a little less sweet.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup chopped walnuts, optional Use walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mash bananas in a large bowl with a fork, leaving a few chunky pieces for texture.
- Add the egg, oil, milk, sugar and vanilla to the banana mixture and beat well.
- Whisk the salt, baking soda, baking powder and flour together in a medium bowl and then add dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix just until ingredients are incorporated and moistened. Take care not to overmix.
- Gently fold the chopped nuts into the batter.
- Pour into a 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan that has been sprayed well with non-stick spray. You may also line with parchment paper if desired instead of spraying the pan.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes and invert the loaf onto a wire rack to cool.