Easy Banana Peach Bread

Combine the flavors of banana bread and peach bread in this delicious banana peach bread. It’s moist, tender, fluffy, can be made with fresh or canned peaches, and 100% egg and dairy-free (not that you can tell!)

Fun and Fruity Banana Peach Bread Recipe

The last few years have made banana bread experts out of all of us. But with the peach season in full swing, along with classics like a peach crisp, crumb pie, or cobbler, it’s time to give this classic quick bread a summery peachy makeover.

This banana and peach bread is wonderfully moist, tender, lightly scented with vanilla and cinnamon, and bursting with peaches in every bite. Better yet, it’s really easy to make with just one bowl, no mixer, and simple pantry staples (yet is 100% vegan, and you can’t even tell). Get it from the mixing bowl to the oven in just minutes.

It’s also fairly versatile – whether you want to make this peach banana bread gluten-free, refined sugar-free, add extra stir-ins, or more. You can also easily bake this batter into mini loaves or muffins. Better yet, you can make this peach bread with canned peaches out of season to enjoy it all year long.

Want more ways to use summer peaches? Check out our vegan peach recipes, like roasted peaches, peach blueberry muffins, and a tropical peach mango pie.

The Ingredients

The Wet Ingredients

• Banana: Use soft, overripe bananas (look for ones with plenty of brown spots on the peel) for the best flavor and sweetness.
• Peaches: During peach season, we highly recommend using fresh peaches, but making banana peach bread with canned peaches will work the rest of the year.
• Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce is a simple egg swap that helps to add moisture and extra natural sweetness to the peach loaf cake. Vegan Greek yogurt may work as a substitute, though we haven’t tried it.
• Oil: Use a neutral oil, like vegetable oil or canola oil. Coconut oil may also work, but we haven’t tried it, and it will add coconut flavor, too.
• Vanilla: Natural vanilla extract complements and enhances the peach and banana.

The Dry Ingredients

• Flour: Use all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, or a 50/50 combination of the two.  
• Sugar: We use regular granulated white sugar, but light brown sugar, raw cane sugar, or coconut sugar will also work in this easy peach bread. If preferred, you can slightly reduce the amount of sugar or substitute it with a sweetener (like erythritol).
• Leavening agents: You’ll need baking powder and baking soda to provide this egg-free peach bread with the light and fluffy lift and texture we want.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon pairs perfectly with bananas and peaches for a warmer flavor.
• Salt: To balance and enhance the various flavors in the vegan peach bread.

What Else Could I Add To Peach Banana Bread?

• Nutmeg: Just a dash of nutmeg enhances the warmth of the cinnamon.
• Ginger: Grated ginger enhances warmth with the addition of subtle spice.
• Blueberry peach bread: Add 1 cup fresh or frozen (no need to thaw) blueberries.
• Shredded coconut: Add a few tablespoons of unsweetened shredded coconut for a subtle tropical flavor and chewy texture to the banana peach quick bread.
• Nuts: Add satisfying crunch with chopped (raw or toasted) almonds or walnuts.
• Dried fruit: i.e. raisins, cranberries, apricots, or dates for chewy bursts of sweetness.
• Citrus zest: Orange zest or lime zest will add a subtle bright, citrusy flavor/aroma.
• Vegan chocolate chips: Dairy-free white chocolate chips pair particularly well with this peach banana bread, though dark chocolate works, too.
• Cinnamon streusel topping: Like we’ve used for this oat apricot crisp topping or our biscuity strawberry crumble topping.

How to Make Banana Peach Bread?

• 1) First, preheat the oven to 350F/175C and lightly grease a loaf pan. Then rinse, optionally peel (we didn’t), and chop the peaches into small chunks.

If you’re using canned peaches, drain them thoroughly, pat dry, then chop.

• 2) Then, in a large mixing bowl, mash the banana and mix it with the applesauce, sugar, oil, and vanilla.

• 3) Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and mix it until it’s just combined – don’t overwork the batter.

• 4) Carefully fold in the chopped peaches and transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan.

• 5) Bake in the oven for about 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (or with a few wet crumbs).
• 6) Remove the banana peach loaf from the oven and allow it to sit in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to fully cool. Enjoy!

FAQs

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Measure the flour correctly: Fluff it up in its bag, spoon it into the measuring cup, then level it with a knife rather than scooping it directly from the bag. Too much flour leads to dense, dry bakes.
• Don’t over-mix the batter: Overworking the gluten in the flour leads to dense bakes. Mix it just enough to combine – a few small lumps are fine.
• For more peach flavor: You may be able to replace the applesauce with peach puree, blending then simmering it to evaporate extra liquid until it’s applesauce consistency.
• If it’s browning too quickly: Tent foil over the peach loaf in the oven.
• Leave it to cool: It will be tender and crumbly directly out of the oven and could fall apart if you attempt to slice it before it cools.
• Try other stone fruits: This recipe works just as well with apricots or plums.

Storage Instructions

Store the vegan banana peach bread loosely covered on the countertop for 2-3 days or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days between layers of paper towels.

You can also freeze it for up to 3 months, either whole or sliced with parchment paper between the slices. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in a Ziplock/Stasher bag to avoid freezer burn.

Leave it to thaw at room temperature or thaw a slice from frozen in a toaster/microwave.

How to Serve Banana Peach Bread?

Enjoy a slice of this peach banana bread warm or at room temperature, optionally with:

• Lashings of vegan butter
• Vegan cream cheese (it sounds odd, but it works!)
• A scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream
• A dollop of plant-based yogurt
• Tea or coffee

You can also use it to pull together simple vegan yogurt parfait bowls (with granola and fresh peaches), enjoy in a trifle, or as part of a brunch spread with pancakes, waffles, and fruit.

More Vegan Quick Bread Recipes

• Vegan lemon loaf cake
• Apple cinnamon bread
• Easy vegan zucchini bread
• Blueberry breakfast bread
• Pumpkin bread
• Persimmon bread

Photos by Alfonso Revilla