No-Banana Banana Bread with Sweet Potato
I hate bananas. They stink, the texture is weird, it’s just a hard pass. But I LOVE me a loaf, so this lightly sweet, no-banana banana bread takes all the cozy goodness of a banana bread, but swaps that gross browning fruit with mashed sweet potato.
Now I will admit, I wish I did like bananas. They make for a nutrient-packed snack and travel fairly well (just don’t open one in an enclosed space).
Which is why a sweet potato substitution works so perfectly, since they, too, are nutrient-packed, and, as a bonus, add a gorgeous color to your loaf.
If you love this recipe, please rate and review it below and tag @accentgolden in your posts on social!
This website uses affiliate links, which may earn commission for purchases made at no additional cost to you.
WHAT IS NO-BANANA BANANA BREAD?
Exactly what it sounds like: a banana bread-style loaf, but without the bananas.
Now, obviously, bananas add more than (nasty) flavor. They add moisture, sweetness, structure, and overall help to bind the ingredients together for that soft texture. So when swapping them out, you need something that will follow suit.
Enter the humble sweet potato. Also naturally moist, once mashed, while adding a natural, but neutral, sweetness that brings the batter together.
What is banana bread? At its base, banana bread is a quick bread, meaning it doesn’t use yeast or require long rising times. Instead, it relies on baking soda or baking powder to leaven the loaf as it bakes.
INGREDIENTS
- All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the bread.
- Baking soda: Provides lift and helps the bread rise.
- Baking powder: Adds additional leavening for a lighter texture.
- Salt: Enhances flavor and balances sweetness.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds warm, classic spice flavor.
- Ground nutmeg: Contributes a subtle, aromatic spice note.
- Ground ginger: Gives a gentle, zesty warmth.
- Mashed cooked sweet potato: Provides moisture, natural sweetness, and a tender crumb.
- Eggs: Bind ingredients and add richness.
- Unsalted butter: Adds flavor, tenderness, and moisture.
- Brown sugar: Sweetens the bread and adds a slight molasses depth.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with browning.
- Milk: Adds moisture and helps create a tender crumb.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances overall flavor and aroma.
Enjoy this sweet potato loaf as you would a slice of banana bread. Plain, topped with butter, cinnamon-sugar, or even a spread of cream cheese!
HOW TO MAKE NO-BANANA BANANA BREAD
Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 9×5-inch loaf pan by greasing it and lining it with parchment paper. This simple step ensures your sweet potato bread lifts out easily and bakes evenly.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Combining them first spreads the spices and leavening evenly for a perfectly textured loaf.
In a large bowl, mix the wet ingredients until smooth, including mashed sweet potato, eggs, melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla. This rich, flavorful base is what makes the bread tender and moist.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, keeping the batter thick and slightly lumpy. Resist the urge to overmix, or the loaf can turn out dense.
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. An even surface helps the bread rise uniformly and bake to a beautiful golden brown.
Bake for 42–47 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely and develop full flavor.
3 reasons you’ll love this no-banana banana bread
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- To make mashed sweet potatoes, peel and quarter two medium potatoes and place them in a pot. Cover the potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Immediately drain and mash until smooth.
- I love this tool for easily mashing your potatoes!
- Don’t overmix your batter. Just stir until you no longer see streaks of dry ingredients; it will be a little lumpy. Overmixing can cause your baked loaf to be tougher, and we want it tender.
- If you like a little chocolate in your loaf, fold in anywhere from ⅓ cup – ½ cup mini chocolate chips when you add your dry ingredients
- Enjoy slices of the bread as is, buttered, topped with cinnamon sugar, or even a spread of cream cheese. I love mine slightly warm!
STORING YOUR SWEET POTATO BREAD LOAF
Store your sweet potato bread in a zip-top bag or an airtight container. It will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
You can also slice and freeze your loaf for up to three months. I recommend serving slices slightly warm, which you can do by popping them in the microwave!
MORE LOAF PAN RECIPES
- Blueberry Muffin Bread with Crumble Topping
- Cinnamon Sugar Sweet Potato Pull-Apart Bread
- Double Chocolate Zucchini (and Spinach!) Bread
- Lemon Rosemary Loaf Cake
- No-Bake Key Lime Icebox Cake
EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
Equipment
- 9”x5” loaf pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Parchment Paper
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato approx. 1-2 medium potatoes
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: Flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger
- In a large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until smooth: Mashed sweet potato, eggs, melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir gently until just combined. The batter will be thick and lumpy; do not overmix!
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top
- Bake for 42 – 47minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out and cool fully on a wire rack
