Protein Banana Bread
Adapted from the Kodiak Cakes banana bread recipe, this Protein Banana Bread may just be the best there ever was. Made with Kodiak Cakes power cake mix, this bread boasts 100% whole grains and about 10 grams of protein per slice!
Banana bread recipes are a dime a dozen. Heck, this website alone features recipes for oat flour banana bread and gluten-free banana bread. So why the need for another? Well, that’s simple. Protein.
Wait, you can add protein to banana bread? 🤔 Yup! And this protein banana bread recipe incorporates several high-protein ingredients to prove it!
Instead of regular old all-purpose flour, this banana bread is made with 2 cups of Kodiak Cakes power cake mix, adding a whopping 60 grams of protein per loaf!
But that’s not all; whole eggs, Fairlife milk, walnuts, and optional but recommended collagen peptides also pack considerable protein into this banana bread.
As for taste and texture, the fuss-free quick bread batter bakes into a slightly dense loaf with a cake-like consistency. So I wouldn’t describe it as super moist, like a muffin or cupcake, per se. However, this protein banana bread does rise beautifully, and slices like butter!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- So much healthy protein! Each slice has roughly 10 grams of protein, so this is a filling and satisfying option for on-the-go breakfasts, pre and post work-out snacks, and dessert!
- The one-bowl batter. You’ll mix the batter in one bowl, and what’s not to love about less dishes?
- The perfectly sweet, tender crumb. This tastes exactly like classic banana bread but with the added benefits of protein. Win-win!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bananas – Overripe, extra-sweet bananas are essential. The bananas shouldn’t be rotten, of course, but they should be soft to the touch with lots of brown splotches. I used 3 bananas for this recipe to make 1 heaping cup of mashed bananas.
- Eggs – Eggs help bind the ingredients into a thick, smooth batter and keep things moist during baking. Be sure to use room-temperature eggs here.
- Coconut sugar – This is my favorite non-refined, natural substitution for standard brown sugar. That said, you can just as easily use brown sugar. Maple sugar and date sugar also work.
- Milk – I highly recommend using Fairlife 2% milk here. It has 5 grams more protein, almost 100 milligrams more calcium, and only 6 grams of sugar per 1 cup compared to the 12 grams in regular milk. Of course, whole milk also works here, but you’ll miss out on the added nutrients.
- Avocado oil – Using healthy fats in baking helps moisten, tenderize, and provide for smooth, easy slicing. You can use light-tasting olive, vegetable, or canola oil if you don’t have avocado oil.
- Collagen peptides – This is an optional add-in. However, collagen peptides boost protein content without compromising taste and texture.
- Cinnamon – Adds a vibrant, warming dimension to the bread. A dash of nutmeg would also be delightful.
- Vanilla extract – A touch of good quality pure vanilla extract is key for an all-around more rich and flavorful loaf of banana bread.
- Kodiak Cakes buttermilk flapjack and waffle mix – Using pancake mix to make banana bread may seem odd, but stick with me. This mix serves as a one-stop shop for the flour and leavening agents you’d typically add separately to quick bread batter.
- Walnuts – Walnuts bring a delicious crunch and roughly 12 additional grams of protein per loaf. Almonds and pecans are also good sources of protein that you could use here.
How to make protein banana bread
Step 1: Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease a standard 8.5” loaf pan with avocado oil spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 2: Mix. In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk the banana, eggs, coconut sugar, milk, oil, collagen powder, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth. Then, gently stir in the protein pancake mix and ¾ cup of the walnuts, being careful not to overmix!
Step 3: Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until the bread is nice and golden on top and a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean (about 40-50 minutes)
Step 4: Finish. If you like banana bread with a moist, tender top, baste the surface with butter while the bread is still warm. My mom does this, and her banana bread is always delicious! Personally, I like banana bread with olive oil butter and a drizzle of honey, but you can skip this step altogether for a more macro-friendly version.
Baking Tips
- The browner the banana, the better the banana bread. So use heavily spotted bananas that give in easily when you squeeze them.
- Set the eggs and milk on the counter to bring them to room temperature before getting started. This helps the ingredients absorb into the pancake mix and bake evenly.
- Do not overmix the batter. Overmixed bread batter usually results in a tough, rubbery loaf of bread.
- Lining the loaf pan with parchment paper isn’t necessary as long as you generously grease the pan. It does, however, make it easier to lift the loaf out of the pan when it’s finished.
- Your oven’s temperature, the type of pan you use, and the altitude can all affect the baking time, so keep an eye on it and begin checking for doneness around the 35-40 minute mark.
- Let the loaf cool in the pan for 5 minutes before placing it on a cooling rack to finish cooling to room temperature before slicing.
Customize it
I don’t recommend deviating from the core ingredients, but if you want to experiment with mix-ins, by all means, go for it.
- Sweet stuff. This would be great with dark chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or small dried fruit like currants, raisins, or chopped dates folded into the batter.
- Nut butter. Fold in about ¼ cup of creamy peanut butter or almond butter to sneak in more healthy fats and protein.
- Toppings. As I mentioned before, slices of this banana bread are delicious served warm and smeared with butter and a drizzle of honey, but you could also spread nut butter, pumpkin butter, or apple butter over each slice.
Storing and Freezing
Storing: Store leftover banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezing: Once cooled, wrap the whole loaf or single slices tightly in plastic wrap. Then place in a freezer-safe bag or container, and keep stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
This is a tough one. The majority of Kodiak Cakes products contain whey and other dairy ingredients. You could try substituting a vegan pancake mix, flax eggs, and non-dairy milk, but I haven’t tested those swaps, so no promises.
To increase the protein content in banana bread (and baked goods in general), add protein powder (types and amount of protein powder do matter because they can dry out baked goods) or collagen peptides, creamy nut butter, Greek yogurt, oats, and high-protein nuts and seeds.
I don’t see why not. To do so, grease and line a muffin pan with muffin cups and fill each one about ¾ full with batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350°F or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Kodiak Cakes mix already contains the perfect ratio of protein powder to the other baking ingredients, so adding additional protein powder will dry it out. The amount of collagen peptides will not affect the texture of the bread. If you don’t have it, you can just leave it out.
More high-protein sweet treats
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Protein Banana Bread
Equipment
- 1 8.5" standard loaf pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed banana make sure bananas are overripe for sweetness (I also use a heaping cup- about 3 bananas)
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar can also use brown sugar or maple sugar
- 1/2 cup Fairlife 2% milk you can also go with whole milk here. Fairlife milk is higher in protein for an added boost
- 1/3 cup avocado oil
- 20 g collagen peptides Optional but adds a bit more protein without compromising texture
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups Kodiak Cakes Buttermilk pancake mix
- 1 cup walnuts divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a standard 8.5" loaf pan with avocado oil spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. *see notes for using different types of loaf pans.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, whisk together the banana, eggs, coconut sugar, milk, oil, collagen powder, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth.
- Gently stir in the protein pancake mix and 3/4 cup walnuts until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Pour the bread batter into the loaf pan and bake for 40-50 minutes (your oven temp and the type of pan you use can affect baking time). Bread is done when nice and golden on top and a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Optional: you can butter the top when it's warm out of the oven (my mom always did this) if you like a moist top.
- I love to serve this bread with an olive oil butter blend spread and a drizzle of honey. Delicious.
Notes
- The browner the banana, the better the banana bread. So use heavily spotted bananas that give in easily when you squeeze them.
- Set the eggs and milk on the counter to bring them to room temperature before getting started. This helps the ingredients absorb into the pancake mix and bake evenly.
- Do not overmix the batter. Overmixed bread batter usually results in a tough, rubbery loaf of bread.
- Lining the loaf pan with parchment paper isn’t necessary as long as you generously grease the pan. It does, however, make it easier to lift the loaf out of the pan when it’s finished.
- Your oven’s temperature, the type of pan you use, and the altitude can all affect the baking time, so keep an eye on it and begin checking for doneness around the 35-40 minute mark.
Nutrition
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Loved the walnuts and texture of this bread.