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Autumn & Winter · Bread · Cakes & Muffins · Spring & Summer

Maple Date Banana Bread

Recipe by Nigel Clease Kitchen-tested
Autumn & Winter 4 min read

A moist banana bread naturally sweetened with maple syrup and dates, made with just a handful of simple ingredients.

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Maple Date Banana Bread – preparation step 5
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This maple date banana bread is one of those classic comfort recipes that warms and fills the whole house with delicious aromas making everything just feel better.

This recipe is a great way to use up brown bananas and you can freeze them so they are available when ever you feel like making banana bread. The banana is what makes this delicious cake moist and so easy to make and to give it that extra healthy boost and taste, it is naturally sweetened with maple syrup.

My all time favourite banana recipe. Sometimes I like to get even more creative with this recipe as it is so easily adaptable. I add shredded coconut, chocolate chips, raisins and nuts…the possibilities are endless!

Contents

Recipe Highlights

  • EASE: easy.
  • TASTE: sweet maple banana bread with succulent dates.
  • TEXTURE: moist cake with soft pieces of bananas and dates.
  • QUANTITY: 10 slices (900g / 2lb loaf pan)
  • TIME: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

For this delicious recipe, all you need are these ingredients:

  • Medjool dates 
  • Coconut oil
  • Maple syrup
  • Large ripe bananas
  • Medium eggs
  • Plain or all-purpose flour (BL55)
  • Baking powder

Nigel Recommends

Don’t Skip the Salt

I always recommend adding a generous pinch of fine sea salt to your cakes. It balances the sweetness, softens any bitterness and brings out flavours such as chocolate, vanilla, fruit and spices. You should not taste the salt itself—it simply gives the finished cake greater depth and a more rounded flavour.

VIEW THE SALT I RECOMMEND

Variations

  • Fats: If you prefer not to use coconut oil, replace it with an equal amount of butter. For an additional flavour, you can also brown the butter before using it.
  • Water: I have used water in this recipe to soften the dates, but if you prefer you can use tea or alcohol such as rum or brandy as an additional flavour.
  • Fruit: While I have made dates the main component of this cake you can use other dried fruits like sultanas/raisins or apricots.
  • Maple syrup: If you can’t find maple syrup or you would prefer an alternative, try honey or corn syrup instead.
  • Addition options: This recipe is easily adaptable, try adding 125 g of chocolate chips or nuts such as walnuts or pecans. Shredded coconut or raisins are also great options.

Tools You’ll Need

  • Large mixing bowl – I recommend the 29 cm Mason Cash cream earthenware mixing bowl because it is sturdy, chip-resistant and has a generous four-litre capacity, making it ideal for everything from cake batters to bread doughs. It is also microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe. You can find this bowl and more of my favourite kitchen tools in my Amazon Baking Essentials collection.
  • Electric hand whisk – I recommend the Breville Classic Combo Stand and Hand Mixer because it includes a generous 3.7-litre stainless steel bowl and a convenient stand, so you do not have to hold the mixer throughout use. You can find it and more of my favourite baking equipment in my Amazon Kitchen Equipment collection.
  • Loaf pan – I recommend this professional 2 lb loaf pan, which is made from sturdy carbon steel with a non-stick coating and is perfect for baking banana bread, lemon drizzle cake, pound cake and traditional loaves.

Nutrition

Serving: one maple date banana bread slice

251.68 kcal
CALORIES · 13% DV
11.17 g
TOTAL FAT · 16% DV
35.86 g
CARBOHYDRATES · 14% DV
15.3 g
SUGARS · 17% DV
3.74 g
PROTEIN · 7% DV
123.66 mg
SODIUM · 6% DV
2.13 g
FIBRE · 8% DV

% Daily Values based on a 2,000-calorie diet

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients and portion size used.

Storage and Freezing

This banana bread is a moist cake so it will keep stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Freezing: It is also easy to freeze for up to 6 months. I recommend slicing it first so that grabbing one slice at a time when you want it is easy.

Maple Date Banana Bread – preparation step 4
Maple Date Banana Bread – preparation step 3
Maple Date Banana Bread – preparation step 5

Maple Date Banana Bread

Preparation:15 minutes
Baking:50 minutes
Total:1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Tools you’ll need:
  • 900g 2lb loaf pan
This maple date banana bread recipe, has only a few simple ingredients and is naturally sweetened with maple syrup.
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INGREDIENTS LIST
 

  • 100 g medjool dates (pitted and chopped)
  • 50 ml water
  • 100 g coconut oil
  • 70 g maple syrup
  • 3 large ripe bananas
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 200 g plain flour (all-purpose) (BL55)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 pinch fine sea salt

Preparation
 

  • Cake mix: Place the dates, water and coconut oil into a saucepan, gently bring to the boil. Allow to bubble for a minute and then remove from the heat. The dates should have started to break down into a paste – if not, heat for another minute or two. Then leave to cool.
  • Preheat your oven to 160°C fan / 350°F / Gas 4.
  • Line a 900g / 2lb loaf pan with baking parchment.
  • Mash 2 bananas, add the maple syrup and then add it to the date mixture.
  • In a separate bowl, beat the 2 eggs until well aerated and pale, approximately 1 minute. Stir in the date mixture.
  • Now sift the flour and baking powder and add to the wet egg mixture, add any additional options if you are using them and gently fold in to combine.
  • Pour into your lined loaf tin. It is quite a liquid mixture so will level out easily by itself.
  • Cut the third banana in half and lay on top of the mixture in the loaf pan.
  • Baking: Bake for 50 minutes, then insert a toothpick or skewer into the centre. If it does not come out clean, continue baking and check again after 5-10 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and if you would like the top to be a little glossy you could pour over some extra maple syrup.
  • Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the loaf pan, then remove from the pan and leave to cool or slice it into 10 slices and enjoy it warm.

Notes & Tips

Baking times can vary based on a number of factors. I find 50 minutes is usually about right, but it can vary depending on how hot your oven works, how big the bananas or eggs are, etc.
If you insert a toothpick or skewer in the centre and it comes out clean, you know it’s ready but if it doesn’t know that it may take a little longer to fully bake. 

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