A small keto banana bread made with almond flour, with no wheat flour or added sugar in the batter.
In the kitchen, warm spices mingle with the flavor of ripe banana. The tender, dense crumb cuts into four thick slices. This low-carb version made with almond flour bakes in a small 12 cm pan, with no wheat flour or added sugar in the base batter, although the banana naturally contributes sugars. With around 9 g of net carbs per serving, a warm slice paired with plain, unsweetened yogurt offers a refreshing contrast at breakfast or snack time. This recipe joins my collection of keto breakfasts.
What is keto banana bread?
Banana bread is a sweet banana cake, often baked in a loaf pan. Here, the format changes: a small, round cake in a 12 cm springform pan, with optional dark chocolate broken into pieces on top. Most of the sweetness comes from the banana; the riper it is, the more flavor it provides without needing anything added. Almond butter and coconut oil replace butter for a more tender texture, though the crumb remains denser than a traditional loaf cake and can be slightly grainy depending on how finely the flour is ground.
A low-carb almond adaptation
This version keeps the banana flavor and moist texture of a loaf cake while reducing the carb content and leaving out wheat flour. Almond flour provides body, almond butter adds softness, and coconut oil supplies the necessary fat, all without gluten. The 12 cm pan serves a practical purpose: with these quantities, it ensures even baking and a good height, whereas a standard loaf pan would let the batter spread out. This recipe is similar to classic banana bread while remaining moderately low in carbs, since banana contains natural sugars.
The main ingredients
The batter contains just a few ingredients, so proportions matter: an extra banana would intensify the flavor but change the moisture, structure, and carb content. One large banana, or two small ones, provides moisture, binding, and sweetness; one egg gives structure and helps hold everything together without wheat; 75 g of almond flour provides the body, with fineness and fat content varying by brand; 50 g of almond butter adds a melt-in-the-mouth texture, stir it well if the oil has separated in the jar.
One teaspoon of baking powder helps the cake rise, one tablespoon of melted coconut oil enriches the batter and greases the sides, one teaspoon of cookie and speculoos spice mix adds a spiced flavor, and a generous pinch of salt brings out the almond. Optionally, add 10 g of dark chocolate on top and one tablespoon of syrup made with a sugar substitute, checking the label if you want to avoid added sugar. Each serving, or one quarter of the cake, contains around 195 calories and 9 g of net carbs.
Baking, serving, and storage
A small 12 cm springform pan, lined on the bottom and lightly greased around the sides, maintains the height and ensures even baking. Allow 35 minutes in total, including 30 minutes of baking at 180 °C: the surface should be golden and the center set, with a toothpick coming out with a few moist crumbs, test in an area without chocolate. If the top browns too quickly, a loosely placed sheet of aluminum foil will protect the surface. Let it rest before removing it from the pan, as the crumb is fragile when hot and firms up as it cools.
Serve the cake in four portions, warm or at room temperature. Once cooled, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator; keeping it as whole as possible helps prevent the cut surfaces from drying out, and individual slices can be reheated briefly in the microwave in short bursts. To freeze, wrap the portions separately in airtight packaging.
For everyday keto cooking, here are all my low-carb recipes.
Almond Flour Banana Bread (Low Carb)
Ingredients
- 1 large banana or 2 small ones
- 1 egg
- 75 g almond flour
- 50 g almond butter
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon cookie and speculoos spice blend
- 1 generous pinch salt (Celtic sea salt)
Optional
- 10 g dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon syrup made with sweetener
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line the base of the small springform pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease the sides with a little coconut oil.1 tablespoon coconut oil
- Melt the coconut oil.
- Mash the banana in a mixing bowl. Crack the egg into it.1 large banana, 1 egg
- Combine the almond flour, baking powder, salt and cookie and speculoos spice blend. Stir into the banana and egg mixture.75 g almond flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 generous pinch salt (Celtic sea salt), 1 teaspoon cookie and speculoos spice blend
- Stir the almond butter and coconut oil into the batter. Add the sweetener if desired.50 g almond butter, 1 tablespoon syrup made with sweetener
- Break the chocolate into pieces and place them on top, pressing them partly into the batter.10 g dark chocolate
- Bake for half an hour.
