I absolutely love banana bread! I am not sure if it’s because it was one of my favorite baked treats as a kid, or if it’s just because it is honestly so delicious. I have experimented with banana bread quite a bit over the years. I have been amazed at how many versions are out there – regular, oat, cheesecake-swirled, Oreo, and more! And, I have certainly tried out more than my share of those recipes.
Banana bread seems to be a food so many people enjoy… I do not know if I have ever heard anyone say they don’t like banana bread! And honestly, you can’t get much better than the original. But, this yummy version capitalizes on the best parts of banana bread – the moist quick bread packed with tons of banana flavor – with a deliciously unexpected texture from whole wheat flour and old-fashioned oats. The result is one you and your family will love! My family devoured a loaf in record time!
As with most baked goods, you will be combining the wet ingredients before adding the dry ingredients. Then, be sure you have a large loaf pan to pour the batter into – this recipe fills the pan almost to the top. But, since this does not rise a lot, it works out just fine. I like to place a baking sheet under my loaf pan in the oven though, just in case there is any spillage. If you would rather, two or even three smaller loaf pans can also be used. This will affect the baking time, so be sure to adjust your baking time accordingly.
The bread will take some time to bake, and I always check the loaf for doneness using the toothpick method – if it comes out clean, it’s done. Since this bread uses whole wheat flour, you will notice that the color looks a little dark – don’t let that fool you! It is incredibly soft with just the right amount of sweetness! I know this whole wheat banana zucchini bread is sure to become a new family favorite. Enjoy!
Whole Wheat Banana Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 cup zucchini, grated
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 cup milk
- 2⅓ cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a 9×5 loaf pan with nonstick spray. Set the pan aside.
- Combine the brown sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, zucchini, bananas, and milk in a large bowl. Mix well.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix well, but just until everything is well-combined. Try not to over-mix.
- Pour the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan. The pan will be very full.
- Place the pan in the oven (you may want to place a cookie sheet under the loaf pan), and allow it to bake. Start checking for doneness around 1 hour. It should be done within 1 hour and 20 minutes, depending on your loaf pan.
- After a toothpick comes out clean, remove the baked loaf from the oven and allow to cool.
- After about 30 minutes, remove the bread from the pan and allow the loaf to cool completely.
- Slice and enjoy!
Notes
- You can also use two to three smaller loaf pans, just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- This recipe works well with bananas and/or shredded zucchini that have been frozen – just thaw them before adding them to the recipe.
