Banana Bread
A wonderfully moist and wholesome banana bread with an Indian touch. Made with whole wheat flour (atta), sweetened with jaggery, and enriched with ghee and walnuts, it's the perfect healthy snack.
For 10 servings
Preheat oven and prepare the loaf pan.
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour a standard 8x4 inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper.
TIPLining the pan with parchment paper with overhangs makes it easy to lift the bread out after baking.Combine the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon powder, and salt. This ensures the leavening agents are evenly distributed.
Mix the wet ingredients.
- In a separate medium bowl, add the mashed ripe bananas.
- Add the melted ghee, jaggery powder, lightly beaten egg, and yogurt to the bananas.
- Whisk everything together until well combined and the jaggery has mostly dissolved.
TIPMake sure your jaggery is finely powdered to help it dissolve easily into the wet mixture.Combine wet and dry mixtures.
Pour the wet banana mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; a few lumps are okay. Finally, fold in the chopped walnuts.
TIPOvermixing develops gluten in the flour, which can result in a tough, dense bread. Mix only until you no longer see dry flour.Bake the banana bread.
Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the bread.
Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents it from breaking.
Slice and serve.
Once completely cool, slice the loaf into 10 equal pieces and serve. Enjoy your wholesome, homemade banana bread!
What to keep in mind.
6 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.
- 1Use the ripest, most brown-spotted bananas you can find. They are sweeter and mash more easily, providing the best flavor and moisture.
- 2Do not overmix the batter. Fold the ingredients until just combined to ensure a tender, soft crumb.
- 3To prevent the top from browning too quickly, you can loosely tent the loaf pan with aluminum foil halfway through baking.
- 4Feel free to add other mix-ins like raisins, chocolate chips, or other nuts like pecans or almonds.
- 5This bread tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld and deepen.
- 6Store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, this version is quite healthy. It uses whole wheat flour for fiber, bananas for potassium, and is naturally sweetened with jaggery instead of refined sugar. The use of ghee provides healthy fats.
