Greatest Banana Bread

~Amanda~

Okay everyone, the time has finally come for me to share my famous Banana Bread recipe! This recipe is famous among my friends and family for being the BEST homemade Banana Bread… and even better, it’s healthy (I use natural and organic ingredients to sweeten it, no sugar) and gluten-free. Even those who aren’t gluten-free absolutely love this bread and say it’s better than most gluten-full breads they’ve had! Another amazing thing about this banana bread is that it is so versatile; you can substitute portions of the banana for some of you favorite seasonal ingredients! Since it’s fall (i.e. pumpkin season), I made this one using half banana and half pumpkin… this is probably my favorite version of it, I LOVE pumpkin in anything and everything!

This recipe is my pride and joy; I have worked on it for a few years testing out different versions and using different ingredients and flours to find the combination that is absolutely perfect. It is made in three parts – the dry ingredients, the wet ingredients, and the egg whites. First, the dry ingredients! I think when you’re baking gluten free, the flour combination is key. This one is super simple, but perfect. I use brown rice flour and almond meal. These are staples in my pantry and I always have them on hand, but if you’re new to gluten-free baking, you can find them in pretty much any grocery store these days (I use the Bob’s Red Mill brand). I then combine the flours with the other dry ingredients; salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. I add extra cinnamon in mine. I love it! Also, this is where you can add in some yummy extras like coconut flakes, nuts, or chocolate chips if you like.. YUM!

Next come the wet ingredients. You start with the mashed banana, but you can make some changes if you want to add different flavors; do half banana and half of something else like pumpkin puree, zucchini, etc. Then add the other wet ingredients; egg yolks, coconut oil, vanilla extract, maple syrup (or agave), and shredded apple. I discovered the shredded apple one day when I was making this and I ran out of applesauce (which I use instead of vegetable oil). I had apples on hand so I shredded some up and I loved the result. The texture that you get in the end product was so much better than I got with applesauce.

And finally, the egg whites. I beat the egg whites separately in their own bowl before folding them in with the other wet ingredients. Beating the egg whites helps to add extra leavening (or raise) to the bread, making it just a little bit lighter and airier. Once you have your three bowls of ingredients prepared, you mix them together; first gently folding the egg whites into the other wet ingredients and then incorporating that with the dry ingredients. Pour it into a greased (with coconut oil) loaf pan and bake for about 50-55 minutes until is cooked through and golden brown. Let it rest for about 10 minutes after you take it out of the oven and then enjoy! I hope this becomes your new favorite banana bread recipe and you love it as much as we do! Happy Baking!