Vegan Cardamom Guava Banana Bread (Printable)

Fragrant tropical loaf blending ripe bananas, sweet guava, and warming cardamom spices into a moist dairy-free treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruit

01 - 1 cup ripe banana, mashed (about 2 medium bananas)
02 - 3/4 cup guava pulp, fresh or canned and strained
03 - Zest of 1 lime

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar
05 - 1/3 cup neutral oil such as sunflower or canola
06 - 1/4 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

08 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
09 - 1.5 teaspoons ground cardamom
10 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
11 - 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
12 - 0.25 teaspoon salt

→ Optional

13 - 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
14 - 2 tablespoons coarse sugar for sprinkling

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Stir in the guava pulp and lime zest until evenly distributed.
03 - Add the brown sugar, neutral oil, plant-based milk, and vanilla extract to the fruit mixture. Stir until well combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cardamom, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
05 - Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix to maintain a tender crumb structure.
06 - Fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans if using.
07 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top surface and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
08 - Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with minimal crumbs.
09 - Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The cardamom transforms ordinary banana bread into something aromatic and sophisticated without tasting like perfume.
  • It's genuinely moist because of the guava and banana combo, so you don't need dairy or eggs to make it feel luxurious.
  • You can make it in fifteen minutes if your bananas are already spotted, which means breakfast is possible even on rushed mornings.
02 -
  • Guava pulp can vary wildly in texture, so if yours is very seedy or watery, strain it through a fine mesh sieve before using it—this prevents a gritty, loose crumb.
  • The moment you smell cardamom filling your kitchen is the moment you'll know you got the spice level right; if you're hesitant about the amount, start with 1 teaspoon and taste the raw batter before baking.
  • Your plant-based milk doesn't have to be fancy; even the plain cheapest kind works, but avoid the super thick barista blends because they can make the batter too heavy.
03 -
  • Always zest your lime before cutting it for juice, and don't be shy about the amount—the zest is what makes people taste citrus without realizing it.
  • If your guava pulp seems watery, you can reduce it in a small saucepan over medium heat for a couple of minutes to concentrate the flavor and thicken it slightly.
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