Peanut Butter Lover's Banana Bread
Incredible peanut butter banana bread filled with chocolate chips and topped with a fluffy peanut butter frosting. This peanut butter lover's take on traditional banana bread is deliciously moist, naturally sweetened with bananas and pure maple syrup, and makes the perfect snack or treat!
Servings 12 servings
Calories 265cal
Ingredients
- Wet ingredients:
- 3 extra ripe large bananas, mashed (about 1 ⅓ cups mashed banana)
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup (128 grams) natural creamy or crunchy peanut butter
- ⅓ cup (104 grams) pure maple syrup (or sub ½ cup (or 107 grams) packed brown sugar or coconut sugar)
- ⅓ cup (80 grams) dairy-free milk of choice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Dry ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups (198 grams) whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- For the mix-ins:
- ⅓ cup (60 grams) chocolate chips, dairy free if desired, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top
- For the peanut butter frosting:
- 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature (or sub vegan butter)
- 2 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup (60 grams) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons dairy-free milk of choice, to make the frosting creamy
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: to 350 degrees F. Line a 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch pan with parchment paper and grease the inside of the pan to prevent sticking.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl mix together the mashed banana, eggs, peanut butter, maple syrup, milk and vanilla extract to a bowl until well combined.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: whole wheat pastry flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
- Bake: Add banana bread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Allow bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Make the frosting: Once bread is cool, make your frosting: in the bowl of an electric mixer, add the softened butter and peanut butter and whip on high until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Beat slow at first, then increase speed to high and beat for approximately two minutes. Frosting should be nice and creamy, if you want it extra creamy, add another ½ tablespoon of milk and beat again. Spread over the bread and top with additional chocolate chips. Serves 12.
Notes
To make dairy-free: be sure to use dairy-free milk and dairy-free chocolate chips in the recipe. Also, use a dairy free/vegan butter if making the frosting.
To make vegan: I haven’t tried making this version vegan, but let me know if you do in the comments! I think flax eggs should work well.
To make gluten-free: I think a 1:1 all purpose gluten-free flour would work well here.
*Flour substitution notes: white whole wheat flour or regular all purpose flour should also work well in this recipe. You can also use a mix of 1 cup all purpose flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice (with frosting) | Calories: 265cal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 17g