Vegan Pumpkin Banana Bread – Easy & 1 Bowl

Dive right into the cosy vibes of Autumn with this one-bowl vegan pumpkin banana bread! It’s incredibly easy and simple, ready to enjoy in just over an hour. Each moist, soft, and fluffy slice comes with the irresistible aroma of pumpkin spice that everyone will love!

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As the golden hues of autumn envelop us, nothing feels as right as a slice of warmly spiced bread in hand. This season, let me introduce you to this autumn duo – Pumpkin and Banana – in our luscious Vegan Pumpkin Banana Bread. Think of the tropical sweetness of bananas dancing with the deep, rustic charm of pumpkin. It’s a delight for everyone’s taste buds!

If you like my vegan chocolate chip pumpkin bread recipe or 5 ingredient banana bread, you will sure love this one too. I shared slices with my relatives and family and I’m happy to say they loved it! My favourite way to have it is lightly toasted with a generous amount of vegan butter or nut butter. It goes perfectly together with tea. Because this recipe is quite simple, you can add things like chocolate chips or crushed nuts and seeds to make your own bread recipe. 

Main ingredients and substitutions

For this scrumptious Vegan Pumpkin Banana Bread, you’ll be combining the basics like plain flour and caster sugar, but with the added oomph of pumpkin puree and ripe bananas. Don’t forget the spices—pumpkin spice is a must! If you don’t have it, you can easily make your own.

*Use room temperature ingredients unless otherwise instructed.

Bananas: Use ripe ones with brown sugar spots for their natural sweetness. If you don’t have them on hand, well, go to a market for ripe bananas!

Pumpkin Puree: You can go homemade or store-bought. I have a recipe for an easy homemade pumpkin puree. You can use store-bought pumpkin puree too.

Plain Flour: The base of our bread is plain flour. A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend like the one from King Arthur can also do the trick.

Caster Sugar: This brings in that rich and soft sweetness to the bread. Brown sugar can be used too. Coconut sugar is a great alternative if you want to make the bread a little healthier.

Vegetable oil: Vegetable oil ensures the bread is moist and rich. You can use sunflower oil, canola oil, etc. Coconut oil can be great if you want to make this bread a little healthier.

Pumpkin spice: The spices that sing ‘autumn’! You can mix little bits of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and cardamom to make your own pumpkin spice as well.

Soy milk: I like to use soy milk as it makes the best vegan buttermilk but you can also use any other plant milk.

Apple cider vinegar: Use lemon juice if you don’t have apple cider vinegar.

Other ingredients: Baking powder, baking soda, icing sugar, and cinnamon

Note: Substitution may change the final taste and texture of this recipe.

*I use bone char-free sugars for all of my recipes. I cover the topic in my article Vegan Baking 101. Go to the “Is sugar vegan?” section to learn more!

Recommended equipment for this recipe

Loaf Pan: I used a 2lb loaf pan for this bread recipe.

Mixing Bowl: Prepare one large mixing bowl, that’s all you need as far as a mixing bowl goes!

Spatula: Use a silicon spatula to ensure every bit of your batter makes it into the loaf pan.

*The ingredient list and measurement for this recipe can be found in the recipe card at the bottom.

How to make vegan pumpkin banana bread

Step 1: Preheat and Prep

Begin by preheating your oven to 180°F (350°C). While it’s heating, grease your loaf pan or line it with parchment paper. This step is tedious, but makes it so much easier to remove the bread from the pan after so don’t skip.

Step 2: Mix Wet Ingredients

First things first, let’s make vegan buttermilk by combining soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Super simple isn’t it? So simple but it greatly helps the rise of the bread. Set aside so that it can curdle.

In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork or potato masher until smooth. Add in the pumpkin puree, vegan buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Mix further with a large whisk until smooth and well combined.

Step 3: Add the Dry Ingredients

Add in the plain flour, caster sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice to the wet mixture. Mix until just combined and you have a smooth batter but don’t overmix; we want a fluffy bread!

Step 4: Bake to Perfection

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Place it in the oven and bake for 60 minutes until the top is firm and slightly browned. A toothpick inserted into the centre should come out clean when the bread is done baking. If it comes out with wet batter, bake for another 5-10 mins and test again.

Once baked, let the bread rest in the pan for about 10-20 minutes until the pan is not too hot to touch. Remove the bread from the loaf and transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Step 5: Make the Icing

While the bread is cooling down, let’s make the icing to go on top! This adds a subtle sweetness to the bread and makes it perfect for dessert. In a small bowl, simply mix the icing sugar and soy milk and mix until smooth. You can adjust the consistency of the icing by reducing or adding more soy milk.

Once the bread is completely cooled, drizzle the icing on top, slice and enjoy!

Serving tips and ideas

• Toast a slice and spread some vegan butter! My simple yet favourite way to have this bread.
• If you don’t have vegan butter, spread some nut butter like almond or cashew butter, they pair beautifully with the bread.
• Spread a layer of vegan cream cheese for a rich and creamy experience. Perfect breakfast is ready to serve!
• I love drizzling maple syrup on everything and this bread is no exception! A quick drizzle of maple syrup can make each bite heavenly.
• A vegan caramel sauce drizzle? Talk about indulgence! 

Expert tips and tricks

The Perfect Mashed Banana is the Key

When mashing bananas, a fork usually does the job. But if you want an exceptionally smooth texture, a potato masher works wonders. Make sure to mash until the bananas are super smooth with as little lumps as possible for an even flavour and texture.

Blend the Spices!

If you don’t have pumpkin spice, you can easily make your own! See the note in the main ingredients section above. For those who are adventurous and love experimenting, add a pinch of ginger powder for a unique spicy twist.

Loaf Pan Material

Did you know that glass or ceramic pans can affect cooking times? They retain heat longer, so you might have to adjust your baking time slightly. I use a loaf pan made of stainless steel, so if you use one made of glass or ceramic, you may need an extra 5-10 mins of baking time. 

Use a digital scale to weigh ingredients

Always use a digital scale rather than measuring cups when you are baking. It’s so much more accurate and measuring correctly is very important to achieve the best result.

Recipe variations

• Feeling tropical? Sprinkle in some coconut flakes before baking for a tasty tropical note.
• Try adding chunks of vegan chocolate or chocolate chips for a decadent dessert experience.
• Throw in your favourite nuts and seeds like walnut halves or crushed almonds to make it a nutty pumpkin banana bread!
• Swirl in melted vegan chocolate in the batter to make a chocolate swirl pumpkin banana bread! Vegan white chocolate would work too.

How to store

• Room Temperature: If you want to keep it at room temperature, place the bread in an airtight container. A bread box also works well. Serve within the day of baking. If you are in a particularly hot area, do not keep the bread at room temperature as it can spoil the bread.

• Fridge: After the bread is completely cooled on a cooling rack, place the bread sliced or unsliced in an airtight container and store in the fridge. It can last up to 3-4 days. Remove from the fridge and let it be at room temperature before serving.

• Freezer: Slice it up and separate the slices with parchment paper. Place these in a freezer-safe airtight container and store in the freezer. It can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. When you’re serving, thaw it in the fridge overnight or reheat it in the oven.

*Although you can store this recipe in the fridge or freezer, it’s always best to consume it fresh and as soon as possible.

Q and A

Why is my loaf sinking in the middle?

This could be due to a number of factors, such as oven temperature inconsistency, incorrect measurement, or expired baking powder. You may want to open the oven door to see how the bread is rising but do not open the oven door too frequently during baking. Opening the oven door will drop the temperature of the oven and affect the texture of the bread. 

Adding too much leavening agents can cause the bread to sink in the middle too. When the bread starts to rise rapidly because of an excess baking powder/soda, it can create a hole in the middle. To avoid this, measure the baking powder and soda correctly and make sure they are fresh.

Can I make this ahead of time for an event?

Absolutely! This bread stores well when properly kept in an airtight container. You can make it a couple of days in advance to ease day-of-event stress.

Q: What’s the best way to slice the bread without crumbling?

Use a serrated bread knife for slicing without crumbling. Also, make sure the bread is completely cool before you start slicing to get those perfect pieces. If your bread still crumbles, heat up the knife over a hob on low heat then slice. This works very well on any bread!

Want to master the basics of vegan baking?
Check out Vegan Baking 101 – the beginner’s guide to vegan baking for you to become an excellent vegan baker and familiar with the basics of vegan baking, ingredients, and techniques with useful tips!

You will LOVE this banana pumpkin bread recipe because it is:

• easy to make
• full of delicious autumny flavour
• soft and fluffy
• perfect for tea and coffee

Want more recipes like this?

Try my other delicious pumpkin/bread recipes you might enjoy!

• Pumpkin Pancakes
• Pumpkin Banana Muffins
• Pumpkin Spice Cookies
• Pumpkin Brownies
• Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Visit the bread and loaves page and recipe page for more delicious recipes!

Please leave a comment and rate this recipe with 5 stars in the comment section below if you like the recipe! Let me know and tag me @thechestnutbakery on Instagram too. Thank you for making my recipe, friends!

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