Actually, yes, you can!
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Banana Bread without Baking Soda and Baking Powder
Overripe bananas pave the way to classic banana bread; brown and blackspots simply make your banana bread sweeter.
However, banana bread needs something to make it rise. Usually, that ingredient is baking soda.
When used in banana bread, baking soda produces carbon dioxide, which helps it rise when baking.
If you simply leave baking soda out of your favorite banana bread recipe, you will end up with a dense product similar to banana flavored rubber.
Thankfully, there are three substitutes for baking soda in banana bread, and one of them doesn’t use baking powder either!
Substitutes for baking soda in banana bread
Baking Powder
When making banana bread without baking soda, you can use baking powder.
This ingredient consists of sodium bicarbonate and is mixed with acid. It is a leavening agent, though not as strong as baking soda. When using it to make banana bread, you have to use about three times more than you would when using baking soda.
Additionally, you have to use the batter immediately to prevent the action from frizzling out.
Many people either don’t have baking soda or baking powder, or simply just want to substitute away from both of them. There are two more alternatives…
Yeast
Yeast is an excellent substitute for baking soda. It can be used in dried form or fresh, but you can only buy a dried version of yeast in most stores because it has a long-shelf life.
However, you have to use more moisture than when using baking soda. Keep the dough in a warm spot, even under some sunshine. You will also have to allow the dough to rest for about one hour or until it rises.
The only drawback of yeast when making banana bread is that you have to wait longer for the dough to rise to its double size.
Self Rising Flour
Another great alternative for baking soda when baking banana bread is self-rising flour. It contains baking powder and salt, making it suitable for baking bread.
Further Reading: Pudding Basin Substitute
Recipe – Banana Bread Without Baking Soda or Powder
A simple recipe to make banana bread with yeast and no baking soda or baking powder
Banana Bread Without Baking Soda or Powder
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 4 Bananas (Ripe and Mashed)
- 1 Stick of Salted Butter (Softened) – do not use margarine
- 2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 Packet of Yeast (Dough will need to Rise before Baking)
Preparation
Gather Ingredients and PreHeat Oven to 350 Farenheit
Cream your butter and sugar; add eggs, vanilla, and bananas and mix thoroughly.
Add yeast packet to the wet ingredients and gently mix evenly.
Combine Flour, Cinnamon and Sugar, then mix evenly with your wet mixture.
Allow dough to rise, covered, in a warm place for 50 – 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
Place dough into greased pan and cook for approximately 1 hour – all ovens are different.
Yeast is the secret to great Banana Bread Without Baking Soda or Powder.
If all of the ideas above don’t seem to work for you, maybe you can make banana pudding instead, before your bananas over ripen.
