Name: Ripe Plantain Bread/Cake (Vegan)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 3/4 - 1 cup plant-based milk; 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated or ground); 1 ½ cups ripe plantains overripe plantains are preferred (275g); 2 cups cake flour 240g; ½ cup almond flour 60g; ¾ teaspoons baking soda; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder; ½ teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoon oil I used avocado oil; 1 tablespoon maple syrup

This Vegan Ripe Plantain Bread is a tasty spin on the classic banana bread. It’s a sweet and slightly dense bread flavored with warm spices. If I told you that it’s even better than banana bread, would you believe me? Just try it for yourself and see!

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Have you ever asked yourself the question ‘Can I use plantains instead of bananas to make banana bread?’ If yes, you’re in the right place.

The thought of this recipe came to mind after seeing some overripe plantains sitting on the kitchen counter. Beside them were some overripe bananas and I said to myself that I may need to make a banana bread. That’s when the light bulb moment happened, and I decided to try to make plantain bread/cake instead.

I mean plantains and bananas are like cousins, right? So I knew that the recipe would turn out great and that it did!

What does Plantain Bread/Cake taste like?

Since plantains are a type of banana, it means that they taste pretty similar and are just as delicious. So, if you’re a banana bread lover like myself, you’re going to love this plantain bread.

It’s a bit sweeter than banana bread, and slightly denser. A lot of recipes suggest that you add yogurt or sour cream to the recipe to avoid a dense result, but this recipe was made without both. I made this plantain bread with almond flour instead to add moisture to the loaf.

Plantains Vs Bananas

Plantains are a type of banana, but they are bigger and have a thicker skin. They are sweeter than bananas, especially when cooked for a long time (like baking them as opposed to frying). It’s a type of banana that is most often cooked and should not be eaten raw because of its high starch content.

Plantains are a staple food here in Jamaica and many other tropical countries. Both in its ripe and unripe state, it works well included in many dishes. You can fry it and have it as a side dish or in sandwiches. You can also air fry, bake or boil plantains.

Notes on Ingredients needed:

Please note that the amounts of the ingredients and the cooking instructions (in detail) are in the RECIPE CARD. Keep scrolling and you will find it down below.

Cake flour and almond flour combined provides the perfect moist texture.

Baking soda will allow the plantain bread to become fluffy when combined with the vegan buttermilk.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and salt enhance the taste of the banana bread.

Overripe plantains– these are the main character! they bind the ingredients together and of course, provide natural sweetness and moisture. I recommend using plantains that have spotty or fully brown peels as they are extra sweet.

Vegetable oil adds moisture, improves flavor and prevents a crumbly texture

Plant-based milk and apple cider vinegar together creates vegan butter milk which helps to make the final product fluffy.

Brown sugar adds sweetness and a rich flavor

How to Make Plantain Bread

Start off this recipe by preheating your oven to 350ºF and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with oil. DIY vegan buttermilk by adding apple cider vinegar to plant-based milk of choice and allow to sit for 10 minutes

Mash your plantains and set aside.

Mix your flour mixture, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and sugar in one bowl.

Add the vegan buttermilk and oil to mashed plantains.

Slowly add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredient mixture.

Bake, cool, slice and enjoy!

Substitutions and variations

All-purpose flour: You can use all purpose flour if you don’t have cake flour on your hands.
Oat flour: You can substitute almond flour for oat flour
Additions: You can throw in chopped nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruits, or seeds if you like.

Can I freeze this recipe?

Yes you can, I recommend slicing the plantain bread prior to freezing. You can then individually wrap them in wax paper and store in a resealable plastic bag.

How to Store and Reheat this recipe

You can store this plantain bread/cake on the countertop for up to three days, in the refrigerator for about a week and in the freezer for up to a month. I recommend reheating this treat in the microwave or toaster when you want a slice as it is more tender that way.

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5 from 2 votes