Vegan Cardamom Guava Banana Bread (Printable)

Moist, fragrant loaf blending sweet bananas, tropical guava, and warm cardamom spice with bright lime zest.

# Ingredient List:

→ Fruit

01 - 1 cup ripe banana, mashed (about 2 medium bananas)
02 - 3/4 cup guava pulp, fresh or canned, strained if seedy
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, almond, oat, or soy
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

08 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
09 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
10 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
11 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
12 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Optional

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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, mash bananas until smooth. Stir in guava pulp and lime zest until well incorporated.
03 - Add brown sugar, oil, plant-based milk, and vanilla extract to the fruit mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, ground cardamom, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
05 - Add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
06 - Fold in nuts if using, distributing evenly throughout the batter.
07 - Pour batter into 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.
09 - Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The cardamom transforms this from ordinary banana bread into something that tastes like a gentle adventure, mysterious but never intimidating.
  • It's naturally vegan and foolproof enough that even on days when your kitchen feels chaotic, this bread comes out moist and fragrant every single time.
  • Guava brings a bright tartness that plays beautifully against the bananas, keeping each bite from feeling heavy or predictable.
02 -
  • If your guava pulp has seeds and you don't strain them, the bread's texture becomes grainy and weird—learned this the hard way and now I always give it a quick push through a sieve.
  • The difference between a moist crumb and a gummy one is honestly just 5 minutes of baking, so that toothpick check is non-negotiable and your best friend.
  • Don't use dark brown sugar instead of light brown unless you want your bread to taste almost molasses-forward, which changes the whole tropical vibe you're after.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix together more smoothly than cold ones straight from the fridge, so take your plant milk out 15 minutes before you start—it sounds small but it actually matters for texture.
  • If you're making this bread regularly, buy cardamom pods in bulk and grind them fresh in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle; the flavor is so much brighter and more alive than pre-ground cardamom that's been sitting on a shelf.
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