This Banana Bread with Pumpkin Spice is the perfect Fall treat. It’s so easy to make, has an amazing cakey texture and takes regular ol’ banana bread to a whole other level!
We’re almost a week into October and all I can say is I hope you’ve jumped on the pumpkin-spice-everything bandwagon by now. Cause if there’s anything better than this Banana Bread with Pumpkin, it’s definitely this Banana Bread with Pumpkin washed down with a steaming hot pumpkin spice latté. Cause you can never have enough pumpkin spice. Am I right?! Especially when the smell of it fills your home to the brim in the form of banana bread, of course. You can reeeeally never go wrong with banana bread.
You know, I gotta tell ya. I’m quite shocked that this is actually my very first banana bread recipe I’m publishing to the blog. I know. Say what?! I think it has a lot to do with the fact that my boyfriend was the sole maker of banana bread for the first like 6 years of our relationship. It was just one of his signature dishes he always enjoyed doing and was very good at. I’m not sure why I’m speaking in the past tense here. Probably because it’s been forever long ago since he’s made one.
Even when the whole world turned to banana bread during the COVID-19 lockdown, I don’t know if I should be proud or ashamed to say that I didn’t make a single loaf. I, instead, went on trying to birth a sourdough starter. And judging by the lack of sourdough recipes currently on the blog, let’s just say it didn’t go over so well.
All that is in the past now and there is no such fear that exists when it comes to this Banana Bread with Pumpkin. You basically just have to mix a few ingredients in a bowl then let the oven do it’s thing for about an hour. The result? Super moist and flavourful Pumpkin Banana Bread that, unlike a sourdough starter, does NOT have to be fed twice a day. Win-win.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THIS PUMPKIN BANANA BREAD
Simple ingredients, most of which are baking basics, is all you need to whip up this Fall festive Pumpkin Banana Bread. Let’s get into them in a little bit more detail down below:
- Flour: The base and bulk of our banana bread recipe as it provides structure. I used an all purpose white whole wheat flour here. However, feel free to use regular all purpose flour instead, if you prefer.
- Coconut Sugar: Adds flavour, a layer of sweetness and keeps this banana bread soft and moist. You can use brown sugar instead, if you prefer.
- Coconut Oil: Adds flavour and keeps this banana bread with pumpkin super moist. Also replaces the need to add butter keeping this pumpkin banana bread a bit on the healthier side. You can use a different oil instead (such as avocado) if you prefer.
- Maple Syrup: Levels out the sweetness in this recipe for banana pumpkin bread and keeps things extra moist and delicious. You can use honey (or more coconut sugar) instead, if you prefer.
- Eggs: Add stability, structure and texture to this Pumpkin Banana Bread recipe.
- Bananas: Well, of course! The star ingredient in any banana bread recipe! Ensure your bananas are super ripe (almost rotten looking – with brown spots all over the skin) for best results. They add tremendous flavour (you WILL taste the banana), a bit of natural sweetness and also helps with moisture and texture.
- Pumpkin Purée: Adds texture and moisture to this banana bread recipe. Be sure to grab pumpkin purée (100% pure pumpkin) and NOT pumpkin pie filling.
- Pumpkin Spice: Adds the perfect warm, Fall notes to this pumpkin banana bread recipe. Generally speaking, pumpkin spice is a mixture of spices such as cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and ginger. You can use a good quality store bought version or you can easily make your own in less than 5 minutes by following my very easy recipe for DIY Pumpkin Spice.
- Vanilla Extract: Amplifies the flavours of the rest of the ingredients.
- Baking Soda & Powder: Act as a leavening agent and each play their own role in helping the banana bread rise as it bakes.
HOW TO MAKE BANANA BREAD WITH PUMPKIN (KEY TIPS)
You can find full instructions for how to make this Pumpkin Spice Banana Bread in the recipe card down below, but here are a few quick tips to keep in mind:
- Use very ripe (almost overly ripe) bananas. Your bananas should have brown spots allll over (it’s ok if the skin is completely brown) for best results. Banana bread is the perfect thing to make when you have a couple of bananas that look like they’re about to go bad. EXTRA TIP: Have brown bananas but not ready to bake? Freeze them! Then thaw them out when you’re ready to make your bread and they’ll go right back to that perfect mushy state you need in this recipe.
- Mix the ingredients by hand. There is no need to use any fancy equipment to mix the ingredients to make this banana pumpkin bread recipe. And don’t use a whisk, either. The ingredients are easiest to stir and incorporate with a plain ol’ rubber spatula.
- Make sure all of the ingredient are well combined before pouring the batter into the loaf pan. You want to see no remanence of flour but be careful not to overmix.
- Use the proper loaf pan. For best results, use a light coloured loaf pan such as white or light grey. Darker pans tend to retain more heat. Therefore, since this pumpkin banana bread has to bake for quite a long time, using a dark coloured pan heightens the risk of the sides and bottom of the loaf getting too brown before the middle is cooked.
- Line your loaf pan with parchment paper that hangs a couple of inches off the edges so you can use those to pull the loaf out of the pan after it’s baked. EXTRA TIP: To get the parchment paper to stick to the loaf pan, grease it with butter or oil first.
- Be sure to keep a close eye in the last few minutes of baking to ensure your beloved banana pumpkin bread doesn’t burn. All ovens are different. This pumpkin banana bread can take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and 10 minutes to completely cook on both the inside and out. The best way to check for doneness is to use a toothpick. Insert it into the center of the loaf and if it comes out dry, your banana bread is ready to take out of the oven. If it comes out wet or crumbly, your banana bread needs more time to bake. I like to check it in a few different spots before pulling my banana bread out of the oven.
- Allow the banana bread to completely cool before slicing into it. I know, I know. How tempting is that? But it might fall apart and become super crumbly if you slice into it too soon. Patience is a virtue, my friend. And in this case, is totally worth it.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
To avoid a soggy bottomed pumpkin bread, follow these easy tips. First, ensure you give it enough time to bake as underbaking will leave the bottom layer gummy/soggy. The banana bread will take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and 10 minutes to cook all the way through. Use a toothpick to check for doneness. Insert it into the center of the loaf and if it comes out dry, your banana bread is ready to take out of the oven. If it comes out wet or crumbly, your banana bread needs more time to bake. I like to check it in a few different spots before pulling my banana bread out of the oven.
Second, allow your pumpkin banana bread to cool completely before slicing. To do so properly, allow it to cool directly in the loaf pan for the first 5 or 10 minutes after removing it from the oven. Then, transfer it to a wire rack and remove the parchment paper to allow it to finish cooling completely.
This pumpkin banana bread will be good for up to 5 days on the counter, 7 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Be sure to tightly wrap it or store it in an airtight container for freshest and longest lasting results.
Banana bread is always a good idea for an any-time-of-day snack or as part of a larger breakfast spread. I like serving it up alongside some favourite classics such as scrambled eggs, bacon or breakfast sausage patties. If I’m having it as more of a snack or dessert, then it’s really great washed down with a cup of milk, coffee or tea. London Fog or Irish Coffee, anyone?!
BANANA BREAD WITH PUMPKIN
This Banana Bread with Pumpkin Spice is the perfect Fall treat. It's so easy to make, has an amazing cakey texture and takes regular ol' banana bread to a whole other level!
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups All Purpose White Whole Wheat Flour
- 1.5 cups Pure Pumpkin Purée (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
- 3/4 cup Coconut Sugar
- 1/2 cup Coconut Oil, melted
- 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
- 2 (verrrry ripe) Bananas, mashed
- 2 Eggs
- 2 tsp Pumpkin Spice*
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper with a few extra inches hanging off each side.
- Add the pumpkin purée, coconut oil, maple syrup, mashed bananas, eggs and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.
- Add in the remaining ingredients (flour, coconut sugar, pumpkin spice, baking soda and baking powder) and stir until all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the lined loaf pan, using a spatula to smooth out the top.
- Bake for 50-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool directly in the loaf pan for 5-10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack (remove the parchment paper) to finish cooling completely before slicing.
Notes
You can use store bought pumpkin spice but why when you can easily make your own in less than 5 minutes. Find my DIY Pumpkin Spice recipe HERE.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 2440Total Fat: 122gSaturated Fat: 94gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 372mgSodium: 1923mgCarbohydrates: 320gFiber: 24gSugar: 206gProtein: 33g
Nutrition is only an estimate and calculated using Nutritionix.
LOVE BANANA BREAD? TRY MY RECIPE FOR HEALTHY BANANA BREAD NEXT!
MORE FAVOURITE PUMPKIN RECIPES
PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLLS WITH PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
EASY PUMPKIN MUFFINS WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS
DECADENT PUMPKIN SPICE BROWNIES
PUMPKIN PANCAKES WITH BOURBON MAPLE SYRUP AND TOASTED PECANS
