This rum raisin banana bread is so easy to make with simple ingredients and is totally vegan. It is perfectly moist, tender, soft and full of banana flavour, with a hint of dark rum and plenty of juicy rum-soaked raisins. It is a great option for when you fancy something a little different to plain banana bread.
I have a lot of banana recipes on the blog, but there is always room for more! I constantly seem to have a supply of brown bananas to use up so it is good to have a selection of recipes to choose from.
This rum raisin version of my easy vegan banana bread is a delicious, grown-up twist on classic banana bread. It is so moist and soft, with a little hint of spice and an extra depth of flavour from the dark rum. The juicy rum-soaked raisins pair perfectly with the banana, turning it into an extra special treat!
Ingredient Details:
Rum: Use a dark or spiced rum rather than white rum.
Raisins: Either raisins or sultanas are fine.
Bananas: I recommend weighing out the banana for the best results. 330g is around 3 large bananas. Make sure that they are very ripe, with lots of brown spots.
Plain (all-purpose) flour: Just regular plain flour is best here but you can swap up to a third of it for wholemeal flour if you like. I haven't tested this cake gluten-free but I suspect that it would work ok with a gluten-free flour blend plus ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum if the flour doesn’t already contain it.
Sugar: I prefer to use light brown soft sugar, but dark brown, caster or granulated would all be fine. Do not swap the sugar for sweeteners or liquid sugars.
Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda): You need to use both, they are not interchangeable.
Oil: I prefer to use an oil that is liquid at room temperature, such as olive, sunflower, vegetable, canola or avocado. You can also use 120g (½ cup) of melted vegan butter however.
Milk: Any variety of unsweetened non-dairy milk will work (except tinned coconut milk) but I like soy milk the best for baking as it has the highest protein content.
Vinegar: A little bit of vinegar reacts with the bicarbonate of soda to help the banana bread rise. You could swap it for a teaspoon of lemon juice if you don't have vinegar.
Vanilla: Optional but recommended.
Spices: I like to add cinnamon and nutmeg but feel free to vary these to suit you.
How To Make Rum Raisin Banana Bread:
(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)
- Step 1: Place the raisins and rum in a small saucepan, bring to the boil then remove from the heat, cover and leave to soak for 1 hour. Drain well, reserving the liquid.
- Step 2: Mash the banana really well then whisk in the sugar, oil, milk, the reserved raisin rum, vinegar and vanilla extract.
- Step 3: Whisk in the baking powder and soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, followed by the flour.
- Step 4: Fold in the drained raisins.
- Step 5: Pour the batter into a lined 2lb loaf tin.
- Step 6: Bake for 70 minutes.
Top Tips:
USE SCALES. As with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scales rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!
For the teaspoon and Tablespoon measurements, please use proper measuring spoons, not just regular spoons. A teaspoon is 5ml and a Tablespoon is 15ml.
FAQ's:
Keep the rum raisin banana bread in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to five days.
Yes this vegan rum raisin banana bread freezes really well, either whole or in slices. Allow it to cool completely before freezing, either well wrapped or in a freezer-proof container. Store for up to three months. Allow to defrost at room temperature before serving.
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Rum Raisin Banana Bread (vegan)
Equipment
- 2lb loaf tin
Ingredients
- 150 g (1 cup) raisin or sultanas
- 100 g (7 Tablespoons) dark rum
- 330 g (peeled weight) very ripe banana (3 medium-large)
- 175 g (1 cup) light brown soft sugar
- 110 g (½ cup) neutral oil (I use olive)
- 45 g (3 Tablespoons) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy)
- ½ teaspoon cider or white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 265 g (2 cups + 2 Tablespoons) plain (all-purpose) flour
Instructions
- Place the raisins and rum in a small saucepan, bring to the boil then remove from the heat, cover and leave to soak for 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease a 2lb loaf tin (approx 11.5 x 21.5 cm / 4.5 x 8.5 in) and line it with baking parchment.150 g (1 cup) raisin or sultanas, 100 g (7 Tablespoons) dark rum
- Drain the raisins really well in a fine mesh sieve, reserving the liquid.
- Mash the banana really well in a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar, oil, milk, vinegar and vanilla extract. Measure out 3 Tablespoons of the reserved raisin rum and whisk that into the banana mixture (top it up with more rum if there isn't quite enough).330 g (peeled weight) very ripe banana, 175 g (1 cup) light brown soft sugar, 110 g (½ cup) neutral oil (I use olive), 45 g (3 Tablespoons) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy), ½ teaspoon cider or white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Whisk in the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon table salt
- Add the flour and stir with a balloon whisk until no dry lumps remain but be careful not to over-beat the batter. Fold in the drained raisins.265 g (2 cups + 2 Tablespoons) plain (all-purpose) flour
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread it level. Bake for about 70 minutes until firm and springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes then carefully turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Once cold, store in an airtight container for up to five days.
Notes
- See post above for tips, details and step-by-step photos.
- As with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scale rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!
- For the best results, please weigh out the banana.
If you tried this recipe let me know how it went! Rate it, leave a comment or tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess
Jenny
Could I soak the raisins in the rum overnight instead? Thanks
Marco
Hi Jenny,
I did and it came out beautifully. The rum did become more syrupy as it soaked up the sugar from the resins.