Last Updated on December 13, 2022 by Kayla
Inspired by my family’s banana bread with sour cream, this high-protein Kodiak Cakes banana bread recipe uses Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes baking mix^.
One serving of this protein banana bread with Kodiak mix has about 12 grams of protein – more than 5x the amount compared to a standard banana bread recipe!
One of my favorite parts about this recipe is that it uses one bowl, so clean-up is a breeze, and in about an hour, your home will be lofting with the smell of fresh baked goodies!
Use any of the Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes^ flavors for this recipe – they are all fantastic!
Unripe versus ripened bananas
First of all, why use overripe bananas for baking?
Green or unripe bananas contain a higher proportion of starch compared to ripe bananas. According to healthline.com, unripe bananas have 70-80% starch compared to ripened bananas which have just 1% starch.
In simple terms, starch is comprised of many glucose, or sugar, molecules linked together. Over time, starch breaks down into simple sugars, or single sugar units, resulting in a ripe, more sweet banana – perfect for baking.
How to ripen bananas in the air fryer
If you’ve got the hankering to bake and don’t have ripe bananas, no worries. I’ve got you covered. Below are two techniques – one for the air fryer and one for a conventional oven.
To ripen bananas in the air fryer:
- Preheat air fryer to 300F.
- Arrange bananas in a single layer.
- Cook for 12-15 minutes until blackened and bubbly.
- Cool before handling, about 10 minutes.
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can ripen bananas in the oven. Preheat to 300F and cook bananas on a rimmed baking sheet for about 30 minutes until the skins turn black.
My absolute favorite baking sheets are the Nordic Ware half sheet pans^. I use them several times per week. They are perfect for roasting vegetables, and they clean up well – no parchment paper or aluminum foil required!
Freezing overripe bananas
If you have overripe bananas but don’t have the time or energy to make scrum-diddly-umptious baked goods, freeze them for later use.
Simply peel bananas, place in a freezer bag or container and wa-laa!
I love having extra frozen bananas, so when the temptation comes about, I can whip up this recipe with just a handful of other staple ingredients. Enjoy!
Kodiak Cakes Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 3 bananas overripe*
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup Greek yogurt plain, non-fat
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup butter melted
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes
- 1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 5 x 9-inch loaf pan by spraying generously with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Add sugar, eggs, Greek yogurt, milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and cinnamon; mix well.
- Add Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes mix and baking powder to wet ingredients; stir until just combined.
- Pour banana bread mixture into prepared loaf pan; use a rubber spatula to evenly distribute mixture. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- *If you don't have overripe bananas, check out how to ripen bananas in the oven or air fryer above.
Nutrition Facts
Check out these other Kodiak favorites!
My aunt posted this on Facebook, and I couldn’t help but laugh out loud! I don’t have kids, but this scenario is still very real in our house. Don’t let this be you, or at least put those overripe ‘nanners to good use!
Parenting is buying 4 bananas and watching them get eaten in one day.
Source unknown
Then buying 8 bananas and watching them rot on your counter because “no one likes bananas.”
If you still have a surplus of overripe bananas after making this high protein banana bread, check out my Kodiak Cakes Blueberry Muffins recipe where you have the option to substitute bananas.
Yours truly,
Helping women after bariatric surgery lose weight without eating “perfect.” Learn how to balance blood sugar & optimize your “tool” today! Apply to learn more!
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Could you add zucchini & walnuts?
If so , how much. Thx
Fantastic idea Lisa! That sounds like a great way to sneak in extra veggies and fiber! I would suggest starting with 1 cup or less and try to squeeze out as much excess water as you can, since this recipe is quite dense already. Please let us know how it turns out!
Could I add or substitute no flavor protein powder to make it even higher and protein?
Yes! Great idea! I would suggest starting with one scoop and going from there. Protein powder can change the texture, making it more “spongey,” so you’ll have to let me know how it turns out!
Could I adapt the cooking time for this recipe in order to make muffins? I just prefer this recipe over the muffin recipe 🙂
Of course! The exact cooking time may vary, and I would estimate it would be 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂 Kayla
Do you think muffins would turn out ok with this recipe?
Check out my Kodiak Cakes muffin recipe here: https://kaylagirgenrd.com/kodiak-cakes-blueberry-muffins/. There is an option to swap the blueberries for bananas! 🍌 Enjoy! Kayla
Laura thanks my so woke me up to say how delicious it was, I only subbed fake sugar for the real since he’s diabetic but otherwise it’s perfect and easy!
I am happy you enjoyed it! 🙂 Kayla
Is it baking powder or soda? The list of ingredients conflicts with the instructions.
Thanks!
Hi Darlene! I am so happy you pointed this out. My apologies for any confusion! I updated the recipe ingredients and instructions. This recipe calls for baking POWDER. Thank you again. Enjoy! Kayla
This is a great end product. However, when I make it again I will divide between 2 loaf pans. Had to cook an additional 20 minutes for 1 loaf.
Hi Lori! I am so happy you enjoyed the final product. Thanks for the tip to divide between two pans. I know baking time can vary based on what type of pan is used (eg. glass versus metal). Appreciate you taking the time to review the recipe! Kayla
This recipe takes banana bread to a whole new level!! You must try it. You will not be disappointed!