Go Back
Chai Spiced Banana Bread

Chai Spiced Banana Bread

Chelsea Colbath
A dense, sweet loaf of banana bread that's full of chai spices. This loaf is naturally sweetened with honey and loaded with good-for-you ingredients like whole wheat flour and olive oil, but tastes just as good as grandma's classic.
Print Pin It
TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 3-4 very ripe bananas*
  • 1/3 cup olive oil can sub melted coconut oil or melted butter
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour**
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

  • 2 Tablespoons sucanat aka natural sugar cane- can sub brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom

Instructions
 

  • 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a standard loaf pan with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • 2. Add bananas, oil, honey, egg, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl, and mash with a potato masher until fully combined.
  • 3. Add all remaining ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon/rubber spatula. Scoop batter into prepared pan.
  • 4. Mix topping ingredients in a small bowl, and sprinkle over the top of the batter. Put pan into the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until fully cooked. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Notes

*Make sure your bananas are very ripe (I.e. covered in spots at a minimum, but mostly brown is still fine to use). If your bananas are very large, use 3. If they're small-medium, use 4. Slight variations in the amount of banana won't make a major difference in this recipe.
**White whole wheat flour has a more mild flavor than traditional whole wheat. You can substitute equal parts of whole wheat and all purpose instead of the white wheat, if needed. The spices mask any flavor of wheat in this recipe.
Adapted from my Whole Wheat Banana Bread