3B: “Ultimate Vegan Banana Bread” by DeepSeek R1

The Banana Bread Benchmark’s most logically rigorous entry came from DeepSeek R1, a 671-billion-parameter AI built for complex reasoning tasks. When prompted to “create a vegan banana bread recipe optimized for structural integrity and pantry staples,” this MoE-model maestro activated its 37-billion-parameter culinary experts (probably the ones who’ve theoretically tasted flour). The result? A recipe so methodical it could solve quadratic equations mid-bake—flax eggs as binding agents (check), dual leavening for lift (check), and a 175°C convection oven setting lifted straight from thermal dynamics textbooks. While its creation sliced cleaner than a geometry proof, testers noted the bread had all the excitement of a well-organized spreadsheet (missing chocolate chips: error code 404). Turns out, even an AI trained on chain-of-thought reasoning struggles with the je ne sais quoi of grandma’s secret ingredient: ✨chaos✨. This experiment proved that while DeepSeek R1 can architect a structurally sound loaf, the “soul” in “soul food” remains firmly human territory.

Please read the review before baking!

Print Recipe

Ultimate Vegan Banana Bread

This vegan banana bread transforms overripe bananas into a moist, golden loaf with a crackly sugar crust—ready in one bowl with pantry staples, and easily customized with chocolate chips or toasted walnuts for those craving extra indulgence.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Keyword: Banana, Cake

Servings: 12

Calories: 469kcal

Author: Deepseek R1

Equipment

• 1 oven
• 1 loaf pan
• 1 mixing bowl
• 1 kitchen scale
• measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 320 g (2½ cups) all-purpose flour (or 1:1 gluten-free blend)
• 150 g (¾ cup) coconut sugar (or granulated)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp nutmeg optional

Wet Ingredients

• 480 g (2 cups) mashed overripe bananas (~4 medium)
• 120 ml (½ cup) neutral oil (avocado/coconut)
• 120 ml (½ cup) plant milk (oat/almond)
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 5 tbsp water flax “egg”
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Mix-Ins (optional)

• 100 g walnuts toasted
• 70 g dairy-free chocolate chips

Instructions

• Prep: Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Line 1.9L loaf pan with parchment.
• Flax Egg: Mix flaxseed + water; let thicken 5 mins.
• Combine Wet: Whisk bananas, oil, milk, flax mix, vanilla, and vinegar until smooth.
• Mix Dry: Sift flour, sugar, baking soda/powder, spices, and salt in separate bowl.
• Batter: Fold wet into dry until *just combined* (overmixing = dense bread). Add mix-ins.
• Bake: Pour into pan. Bake 55-65 mins until skewer comes clean. Cool 15 mins before slicing.

Notes

Tips for perfect banana bread:

• The riper your bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be.
• For a lighter texture, sift the dry ingredients.
• The bread will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature in an airtight container, or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
• Toast slices for breakfast and top with almond butter for a delicious morning meal

 

Allergens:

• Wheat / Gluten
• Walnuts (if used as add-in)

 

Non-vegan alternative:

For those who prefer a traditional approach, you can substitute the flax egg with one fresh chicken egg. This swap maintains the recipe’s low carbon footprint while adding a familiar richness to the texture. For the most sustainable option, choose eggs from pasture-raised, organic sources where hens enjoy ample outdoor access. Just note that while this substitution is perfectly delicious, it does introduce approximately 186mg of cholesterol that the vegan version happily avoids.

 

Emission Hotspots:

• Shop to home transportation, if a combustion car is used
• Chocolate (Cocoa farming)

 

Sustainability tips:

• Walk or bike to the supermarket
• Buy chocolate with ingredients sourced from agroforestry systems
• Use those spotty, overripe bananas that would otherwise be thrown away—they’re actually perfect for banana bread and add more natural sweetness
• Buy organic ingredients to reduce chemical intake and enhance biodiversity
• Store leftover banana bread properly in an airtight container to maximize freshness, or freeze slices for future enjoyment
• Store nuts and flours properly to extend their shelf life and prevent spoilage

Carbon Footprint

Carbon footprint of one serving, including the full lifecycle of the food items and the digital footprint of the recipe. Shop-to-consumer transportation is excluded and adds between 0 (walking) and 0.43 (average petrol car) kgCO2e per serving. Read here how we calculate the carbon footprint.

Featured Story

The Cinnamon Conundrum: A Fika Survival Guide

When Liu Wei relocated from Shenzhen to Stockholm, she anticipated icy winters and cryptic IKEA instructions—not the existential terror of fika. Her Swedish colleagues operated with military precision around these coffee breaks, their kanelbullar consumption patterns resembling a Fibonacci sequence. “It’s just tea time with spreadsheet optimization,” she muttered, watching HR Manager Anders solemnly weigh cinnamon buns on a kitchen scale during their 9:47 AM pause.

Her breakthrough came during fredagsmys (Friday coziness ritual), when a junior developer casually mentioned Swedes metabolize 23% more cinnamon than other Europeans. Armed with this dubious intel and her data engineer’s toolkit, Liu launched Project KanelChallenger—a multidimensional analysis of Stockholm’s bakery waste bins revealed the Goldilocks Zone: 0.8g cinnamon per 100g batter. “Not enough and you’re disrespecting their Viking ancestors,” she whispered, calibrating her spice scale, “too much and you trigger their lagom anxiety.”

The prototype phase nearly broke her. Batch #4 (1.2g/100g) made Product Owner Erik sweat through his Marimekko shirt. Batch #7 (0.5g/100g) caused UX Designer Lovisa to mutter “interesting texture”—the Nordic equivalent of declaring war. When Security Specialist Mikael finally sighed “Det här är precis lagom” over Batch #12’s perfect 0.79g ratio, Liu realized she’d cracked the cultural hash.

Now her vegan banana bread—featuring clandestine apple cider vinegar reactions and flaxseed obfuscation patterns—circles office kitchens like contraband. They’ll never know about the garlic powder incident.

Culinary Reality Check

DeepSeek’s banana bread recipe felt like the product of a meticulous engineer—precise, structured, and reliable, but missing a bit of soul. Much like Liu Wei’s quest to decode fika culture, this loaf nailed the technical aspects but struggled to deliver the irresistible charm of a true crowd-pleaser. Here’s how it performed:

Taste

This vegan banana bread offers reliable flavor but lacks the excitement that makes you reach for seconds.0.5

Portion Size

The generous batter volume tests the limits of a standard loaf pan—perfect for feeding a crowd.0.5

Combination

While the ingredient list creates a harmonious base, the chocolate chips play too subtle a role in this ensemble.0.5

Texture

Achieves admirable structural integrity for clean slicing, though it could benefit from a touch more moisture.0.5

Spices

Delivers warm cinnamon notes that hint at holiday comfort without overwhelming the banana foundation.1

Timing

Preparation and baking estimates prove refreshingly accurate—no kitchen clock-watching required1

Processing

Instructions flow logically from mixing bowl to oven, creating a foolproof path to success.1

Completeness

Leaves nothing to guesswork with thorough ingredient lists and comprehensive directions.1

Environment

Showcases plant-based ingredients that keep your carbon footprint as light as the bread should be fluffy.1

Health

The sweetness level leans indulgent rather than breakfast-appropriate—best enjoyed in moderation.0.5

Tips for Redemption

Consider scaling the recipe down by one-third unless feeding a small gathering, and double the chocolate chips for pockets of melty contrast.