Vegan Tahini Fig Chocolate Banana Bread
This moist banana bread combines the nutty richness of tahini with sweet dried figs and chocolate chips, creating a sophisticated twist on the classic loaf. The tahini is swirled through the batter before baking, adding visual appeal and bursts of sesame flavor throughout each slice. Topped with a creamy tahini buttercream frosting and fresh fig slices, this bread works beautifully as a special breakfast treat, afternoon snack with tea, or elegant dessert. The combination of plant-based ingredients creates a tender crumb that stays fresh for days, while the tahini adds protein and healthy fats that make each slice more satisfying than traditional banana bread.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ripe banana, 4 small or 3 large bananas
- ⅓ cups coconut sugar, or other sugar
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil, or melted and cooled coconut oil
- 2 oz runny tahini
- 3 tbsp plant-based milkdairy milk1:1dairy
Any non-dairy milk works
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, or GF all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- salt
- 2 ½ oz dried figs, chopped small
- 2 ¾ oz chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate
- 1 ¾ oz runny tahini, for swirling
- 7 tbsp vegan butter, softened
- 1 ¾ oz runny tahini, for frosting
- ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence, for frosting
- 1 fig, sliced for topping
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 325°F fan/350°F and line loaf tin with parchment paper
- 2
Blend banana, sugar, oil, tahini, milk, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth, or mash banana by hand and whisk in remaining wet ingredients
- 3
Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda into mixing bowl
- 4
Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and whisk until smooth with no flour lumps
- 5
Fold in chopped figs and chocolate
- 6
Pour half the batter into prepared tin and spoon over half the tahini
- 7
Top with remaining batter and tahini, then drag knife through to create swirls
- 8
Bake for 45-50 minutes until skewer inserted comes out mainly clean
- 9
Cool in tin for 15 minutes, then lift out using parchment and cool completely on wire rack
- 10
Beat softened butter until creamy using mixer
- 11
Add tahini and vanilla, beat for 1 minute until smooth
- 12
Gradually beat in powdered sugar for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy
- 13
Spread frosting over cooled bread and top with fig slices
Tips
Allow vegan butter to soften at room temperature for 1 hour before making frosting for best texture.
Drag the knife gently through the batter to create tahini swirls without overmixing the batter.
Let frosted bread rest at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving for easier slicing.
Good to Know
Store frosted bread in fridge for 3-5 days. Unfrosted bread freezes up to 1 month.
Bread can be baked 1-2 days ahead and frosted before serving.
Let refrigerated bread rest at room temperature 20 minutes before serving.
Common Mistakes
Don't overmix batter after adding flour to avoid tough bread
Ensure vegan butter is properly softened to avoid lumpy frosting
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Any non-dairy milk works
Gluten-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
FAQ
Can I make this without the frosting?
Yes, the bread is delicious on its own and will keep longer unfrosted. Store at room temperature for 3 days or freeze up to 1 month.
What if I don't have tahini?
You can substitute with almond butter or peanut butter for similar nutty flavor, though the taste will be different from traditional tahini.
Can I freeze the frosted bread?
It's better to freeze unfrosted bread and add frosting after thawing. Frosted bread doesn't freeze as well due to the buttercream topping.