This healthy lemon poppy seed banana bread is incredibly moist and tender with a lovely lemon and banana flavor. It's made with almond flour and fresh lemons and only sweetened with bananas. This poppy seed banana bread is gluten free, dairy free and paleo friendly.
I'll be honest, I wasn't sold on the idea of lemon and banana in the same recipe. I assumed that the flavors would clash. But oh was I wrong!
This lemon poppy seed banana bread has an incredible flavor and texture. It tastes like banana bread, but with a hint of spring (aka the lemon). The flavors don't clash, but actually compliment one another. Even my kids loved this loaf, which is always a win for me.
This poppy seed banana bread recipe is made with almond flour and fresh lemons, only sweetened with bananas and loaded with poppy seeds. The loaf is gluten free, dairy free and paleo friendly - something the whole family will love!
Why You'll Love this Lemon Poppy Seed Banana Bread
- gluten free and paleo - made with a blend of almond flour and arrowroot starch (or tapioca)
- dairy free - no butter or milk in this recipe
- incredibly moist and tender - all thanks to the mashed banana and avocado oil
- no added sugar - only sweetened with ripe bananas
- easy to make - combine the dry ingredients, then the wet, then mix the two together. Pour into a lined loaf pan and bake!
Ingredients
The full recipe for this gluten free poppy seed bread can be found in the recipe card below, but here's an overview of what you'll need:
- blanched almond flour - this loaf is made with almond flour, but tigernut flour should work for a nut free replacement.
- arrowroot starch - this ingredient provides texture and structure to the loaf. You can swap arrowroot starch for tapioca starch/flour.
- poppy seeds - since this is poppy seed banana bread
- baking soda - for the rise
- salt - to enhance the flavors
- ripe bananas - I recommend yellow bananas with many brown speckles. You'll need 2-3, depending on the size of your bananas.
- large eggs - an egg replacement has not been tested for this recipe.
- avocado oil - I love using avocado oil because it is neutral and flavor, has a high smoke point and is high in monounsaturated fats. You can swap this with any other flavorless oil that is liquid at room temperature.
- lemons - you'll need both the juice from the lemons and the zest.
- vanilla extract - for flavor
How to Make Lemon Poppy Seed Banana Bread
The batter for this lemon poppy seed banana bread is made in two bowls and baked in a loaf pan. Here are the steps:
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8" x 4" loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the batter into your lined pan and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
- Cool the loaf to room temperature, then cut into slices.
Tips and Tricks
- Measure ingredients by weight - when provided, measure the ingredients by weight (given in grams). This will ensure accuracy and provide better results. I use a small kitchen scale in all of my baking.
- Use ripe bananas - bananas that are yellow with many brown speckles will provide the best taste and texture
- Don't skip the oil - this adds moisture to the loaf and makes the bread incredibly tender. I used avocado oil, but a light olive oil would work well too.
- Let the loaf cool completely - cool the loaf to room temperature before slicing
- Top with a glaze - if you want to add a little sweetness to this lemon poppy seed banana bread, then feel free to top it with a simple glaze. For a paleo friendly version, combine powdered monk fruit or powdered coconut sugar with a little almond milk.
Storage
This loaf is best stored in an airtight container in the fridge, up to one week. For longer storage, you can wrap the loaf in parchment paper and seal in an airtight baggie in the freezer, up to one month.
FAQ
Yes, this is first and foremost a banana bread recipe, with hints of lemon and poppy seed.
This loaf does not have a nice round top, but rather a pretty flat top after cooling. But not to worry, the texture and flavor are perfect!
More Healthy Lemon Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Banana Bread (Gluten Free, Paleo)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8" x 4" loaf 1x
Description
This healthy lemon poppy seed banana bread is moist and tender with a lovely banana and lemon flavor. It's gluten free, dairy free and paleo friendly, plus only sweetened with bananas (no sugar added).
Ingredients
- 2 cups blanched almond flour (180g)
- ½ cup arrowroot starch (42g) can sub tapioca starch
- 1 Tbsp poppy seeds
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup mashed bananas (245g)
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8" x 4" loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine the dry ingredients. This includes the almond flour, arrowroot starch, poppy seeds, baking soda and salt.
- In a larger bowl, combine the wet ingredients. This includes the mashed bananas, eggs, avocado oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the batter into your lined pan and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
- After baking, cool the loaf for 10 minutes in the loaf pan, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. Cool the loaf to room temperature, then cut into slices.
- Store the loaf in an airtight container in the fridge, up to one week.
Notes
For best results, measure ingredients by weight (when given). This will ensure accuracy and provide better results. I use a small kitchen scale in all of my baking.
Katie
My family and I love this bread. Enjoy!
Christina
Hi Katie, looking for a new bread recipe, I can across this and made it this afternoon. It was really delicious and the lemon gave it a really fresh taste. I didn’t have any poppy seeds but I’ll make sure I add them the next time. I’m sure that will take it to the next level!