Banana bread is one of those basic recipes everyone should have in their arsenal. It should be considered part of the basics, right up there with boiling water and cooking rice. Ironically I couldn’t cook a pot of rice if life depended on it… thank god for the rice cooker… But back to banana bread! You may have notice I have quite the obsession with banana bread, considering the various recipes I’ve shared over the years… Double Chocolate Banana Bread, Marbled Chocolate Peanut Banana Bread, Coconut-Chocolate Chip Banana Bread…
We’ll here is a new one for you. Its actually the most basic, and traditional in terms of appearance and taste.
The first cookbook I ever received was from my Godmother. I remember I had been asking for a cookbook for a while (any cookbook, didn’t really care which one), but the thing is I was about 12 years old. And who wants to buy a 12 year old a cookbook for their birthday? I know it may sound like a dull gift, but its what I wanted more than anything, and that cookbook ignited a love for baking, and also a cookbook obsession… but more on that another day. The first thing I ever baked from that book was banana bread, the page is still dog eared (something I know longer do, some how its seems sacrilegious to dog ear books now). This recipe reminds me a lot of that first banana bread, its light and sweet, and studded with walnuts.
This has become my go-to recipe ever since transitioning to a gluten-free diet. On the plus side its also free from refined sugar… can banana bread earn bonus points? Because I think this one just did…
- 1½ cups mashed bananas (3-4 bananas mashed and measured)
- ⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk, or other non-dairy milk
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil, or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ cup aquafaba, whipped to stiff peaks with ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar *See Notes
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup granulated sweetener (stevia, monk fruit, or coconut sugar) **See Notes
- ½ cup oat flour ***See Notes
- 1½ cups gluten-free flour blend
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, plus extra for topping (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350°F, line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the mashed banana, coconut oil, almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
Note: if using the flax seed mixture explained in the notes, in place of the aquafaba, add it here. - Add the dry ingredients and stir until combined and completely incorporated.
- If using the aquafaba, add the cream of tartar and whip with a electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the aquafaba into the banana bread batter. Add the chopped walnuts and fold until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with extra chopped walnuts as desired.
- Bake in the center of the over for 48-52 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, before removing and transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Banana bread can be stored at room temperature in an air tight container or well wrapped with plastic wrap for 3-4 days.
** Both stevia and monk fruit bake up well in this banana bread. Coconut sugar is a perfectly fine substitute and tolerable for most people with sugar sensitivities, just keep in mind it isn't a zero calorie sweetener if that's something you are monitoring.
*** You can make your own oat flour at home. Just add rolled oats to a blender or food processor and process until fine.
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