Apple Crumble Banana Bread (Vegan Gluten-Free)
This Apple Crumble Banana Bread is moist, tender and fluffy, packed with sweet cinnamon flavour, and topped with fresh apples and a golden oat crumble top. This bake is naturally plant-based and gluten-free and easy to make.
It’s time for September’s banana bread and this one is a winner. This one is cosy, packed with warming spices and tastes like a cross between apple crumble and banana bread cake. It’s moisty, fluffy and spongey and is topped with lots of fresh apple and then a delicious oat and walnut crumbly top. This banana bread is easy to make in a few steps and is even better drizzled with icing sugar glaze and enjoyed with a cup of tea. Be sure to check out my other banana bread recipes, too, to use up your any ripe bananas you have lying around.
Why will I love this banana bread?
This banana bread is amazing:
- Moist, tender, spongey and soft
- Apple-y and nutty
- Packed with cinnamon warming spices
- Topped with lots of fresh apple
- Finished with a golden oat and walnut crumble
- Tastes like apple crumble and banana bread combined
- Delicious with an icing sugar drizzle
- Perfect for afternoon tea or for brunch
- Naturally plant-based, egg-free and dairy-free
- Easily gluten-free and nut-free
- Easy to make in a few steps
- Ideal for using up ripe bananas
- Seasonal and cosy
- Great all year round
- Made with real ingredients
If you already love the sound of this autumnal banana bread, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can find the ingredients with weights in the recipe card and see my recommended and favourite products in the “shop the recipe”.
For the crumble apple top:
- Plain or GF plain flour: make sure your flour is gluten-free where needed.
- Golden granulated sugar: or you can use coconut or light brown sugar.
- Rolled oats: add texture to the crumble and wholesome goodness. Make sure that your oats are certified gluten-free, if needed.
- Walnuts: chop these small for adding extra crunch on top.
- Cinnamon: for adding autumnal flavours.
- Softened coconut oil: this adds the “buttery” golden element to the crumble without the butter. You can also use vegan butter if you prefer, though.
- Apples: I use eating rather than cooking apples. Core the apples and chop into small chunks, you can leave the skin on and toss with flour to stop them from sinking into the batter.
As for the banana bread:
- Ripe bananas: the riper the better as they are sweet and soft.
- Plant-based milk and apple cider vinegar: use your favourite dairy-free milk for this cake like oat, almond, soya or coconut (form the carton) and when mixed with vinegar, it curdles to form a buttermilk. This helps to bind the egg-free mix.
- Golden granulated sugar: if you swap this for coconut sugar, the loaf will be more dense, and you can also use regular granulated sugar.
- Thick coconut yoghurt: this is great for adding moisture to the loaf, and make sure it’s as natural as possible with simple ingredients. The texture is like Greek yoghurt and my favourite is the natural or vanilla Cocos Organic yoghurt.
- Light olive oil: use light olive oil, sunflower or avocado oil (or melted and cooled coconut oil) for adding moisture and fat to the cake.
- Ground flaxseed: this adds omega goodness as well as binding the egg-free batter.
- Plain or GF flour: as above.
- Baking powder: for the rise.
- Cinnamon: for flavour. This would also be great with a chai or pumpkin spice mix.
- Salt: for flavour.
- Walnuts: for crunch inside.
And to glaze:
- Icing sugar: mix this with water to make the glaze to pour on top.
Is this gluten-free and nut-free?
This is easily gluten-free if you use a gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum (or add ½ tsp of your own to the mix) and check that your oats are certified gluten-free. to make this nut-free, skip the walnuts or use sunflower seeds. Check that your dairy-free yoghurt and milk do not contain nuts, too.
How do I make this?
You can make this banana bread in a few steps:
- Make the crumbly top: mix together all of the ingredients.
- Chop the apple: and toss with flour.
- Mash the banana until smooth: and mix the dairy-free milk and vinegar.
- Combine all of the wet ingredients: until smooth.
- Sift in the dry ingredients and add the walnuts: and stir until combined with no lumps of flour.
- Pour into the loaf tin and add the apples and crumble top: and press down lightly.
- Bake for 60 minutes: or until well-risen, golden and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Allow to cool first in the tin and then on a wire rack: until fully cool.
- Mix the icing sugar and water and drizzle over the loaf: and slice to serve.
How long will it last?
This loaf will keep for 3-5 days in a sealed container (in the fridge overnight but best enjoyed at room temperature) and you can freeze the loaf for 1 month, wrapped well. Allow to defrost before eating.
What other recipes can I try?
For more banana bread ideas:
- Caramel Latte Banana Bread
- Espresso Toffee Nut Banana Cake
- Chai Orange Chocolate Chip Streusel Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Banana Bread
- Vegan Chocolate Orange Banana Bread
Apple Crumble Banana Bread (Vegan Gluten-Free)
This Apple Crumble Banana Bread is moist, tender and fluffy, packed with sweet cinnamon flavour, and topped with fresh apples and a golden oat crumble top. This bake is naturally plant-based and gluten-free and easy to make.
Ingredients
For the Crumble Top:
- 25g plain or GF plain flour
- 25g golden granulated sugar
- 15g rolled oats
- 10g walnuts, chopped small
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 15g softened coconut oil
For the Apples:
- 1 large apple
- 1 tbsp plain or GF plain flour
For the Banana Bread:
- 2 large ripe bananas, 200g total
- 120ml plant-based milk
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 120g golden granulated sugar
- 60g thick coconut yoghurt
- 3 tbsp light olive oil
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 250g plain or GF plain flour
- 2 ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 60g walnuts, chopped small
For the Glaze:
- 50g icing sugar
- 1-2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180ºC and line a 9x5-inch loaf tin with parchment paper.
- To make the crumble top, add the flour, sugar, oats, walnuts and cinnamon to a small bowl and stir. Add in the coconut oil and stir to a chunky mix.
- Core and chop the apples into small chunks and toss with the flour in a small bowl.
- Mash the banana and stir together the plant-based milk and vinegar and leave for 5 minutes to curdle.
- For the banana bread batter, into a large mixing bowl, add the mashed banana, milk mix, sugar, coconut yoghurt, olive oil and ground flaxseed. Whisk until combined. Sift in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon and add a pinch of salt. Whisk to a thick, smooth batter.
- Fold in the walnuts and pour into the loaf tin. Smooth over the top and spoon over all of the apples. Now sprinkle with the crumble top and press down lightly.
- Bake in the oven for 60 minutes, covering with foil for the final 10 minutes. The loaf will be well-risen, golden and an inserted skewer will come out clean, once baked.
- Allow the loaf to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out to cool fully on a wire rack.
- Stir together the icing sugar and water until thick but pourable.
- Drizzle the icing sugar glaze over the banana bread and slice to serve.
- Enjoy straight away or keep leftovers in a sealed container for 3-5 days (in the fridge but best eaten at room temperature). You can also freeze the banana bread for 1 month, wrapped well. Allow to defrost before eating.
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Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of this Apple Crumble Banana Bread so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make this, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With apple banana love x
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