Vegan baking has become so easy, y’all. I’m not sure why I was ever scared of it, or thought recipes wouldn’t work.

I’ve even just started baking goods for people, without even bothering to tell them it’s vegan. Turns out, no one even notices.

I can’t cook with dairy or eggs due to the cross contamination risk. I used to think this was A Big Deal and I’ll Never Be Able To Bake Or Cook Or Entertain People Ever Again, because No One Wants To Come Over And Eat Vegan Food.

This? Was all in my head. The thing is, if you don’t tell people it’s vegan…they have no idea. If it tastes good, they don’t care.

That’s the key though: it needs to taste good.

So, it’s a good thing this banana-hazelnut bread is the fluffiest, most delicious, and most complexly flavored banana bread I’ve ever had, vegan or not. I usually think of banana breads as a sweet dense block of cold, wet stuff, that is past its prime after a day or two. This banana bread, perhaps because it doesn’t contain real eggs, lasts up to a week. I’ve heard. The loaves I make for my own family don’t really last til the next day.

(This is an adapted version of William Sonoma’s Banana Bread.)

 

Vegan Banana-Hazelnut Bread

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 large very ripe bananas, peeled

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 tsp Egg Replacer

4 tbsp warm water

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup hazelnuts (pre-chopped, or whole hazelnuts chopped in a food processor)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray (I’ve now found Pompeian 100% Grapeseed Oil Spray. Completely dairy and soy free.)

In a very small bowl, mix the Egg Replacer and warm water. Set aside.

In a medium size bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients — flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

Place the bananas in a large bowl, and mash with a potato masher.

Add sugar, oil, egg replacer concoction, and vanilla extract to bananas. Whisk.

Add dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to combine.

Add hazelnuts. Mix. (You can also add chocolate chips. For dairy and soy free chocolate chips, I use Enjoy Life Mini Chips.)

Pour the batter into your loaf pan and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, a toothpick down through the center of the bread should come out mostly batter-free. If there’s batter on it, put the loaf back in the oven for another 5 minutes. Keep doing this until the toothpick comes out clean.

Once the loaf is out of the oven, let cool for 5-10 minutes. Run a knife around the perimeter to loosen the bread from the pan. Turn over and release.

Enjoy!

(The friend who took this photo ended up spreading Nutella on her slices, along with some sea salt. It takes it out of the vegan category, but if you’re game, it’s apparently to die for.)

(Photo credit to my friend.)