a taste of childhood: banana bread
When life gives you a bunch of ripe bananas… you make Gluten Free Banana Bread!
I grew up eating my Mom’s delicious Banana Bread, and can remember it being one of my favorite treats to come home to from school. Now having kids of my own, I want to cherish the small things with them and provide them with this little taste of childhood.
I have tried gluten free boxed mixes, buying at a gluten free bakery, and then I was gifted the cookbook, “Deliciously G-Free,” by Elisabeth Hasselbeck! It was my first Easter being gluten free, and decided to give the recipe a shot, since I was doing Easter Brunch. Since then over the years I have put my own spin on it, and today I am happy to share!
Banana Bread Recipe (Inspired by Elisabeth Hasselbeck)
*Note a trick with gluten free baking is using a brownie pan vs. loaf pan!
SERVES 10
INGREDIENTS:
Parchment Paper (to line pan)
5 Tablespoons plant based butter (Earth Balance)
1 cup sugar (for less sugar: 1/2 cup maple syrup+ 1/4 cup sugar)
2 eggs
4 small ripe bananas or 1/2 cup pumpkin puree *(I have even combined 1/4 cup pumpkin and 2 bananas if that was all I had)
1 cup of gluten free flour (I use usually Trader Joes Brand or Bob’s Red Mill)
3/4 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (make sure the flour you are using doesn’t already have it)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup (optional) chocolate chips or walnuts
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350℉. Line the pan with parchment paper, set aside.
Place butter in large bowl and heat for 30 seconds to soften, add sugar to the large bowl. Use Electric Mixer (optional) on high spread and mix until mixture is light yellow and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on medium speed until combined.
Mash bananas (& if used pumpkin add together) with 1/3 cup of water.Mix on low speed for 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour, coconut flour, baking soda, salt, xanthan gum, baking powder over the bananas. If you are adding the chocolate chips or nuts, add them to the bowl. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture until combined.
Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and bake until the center of the bread springs back to the touch, 50-55 minutes. (If the bread starts to brown too quickly on top, cover loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.)
Transfer the loaf pan to a wire rack and let it cool 5 minutes. Then lift the bread out of the pan and let it completely cool before slicing. Wrapped tightly in aluminum bread and this will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Also freezes well!
ENJOY with your favorite cup of coffee or matcha!!