I have made a variation of this banana bread dozens of times since I discovered the recipe last year but then stopped making it after I had my baby because they are dairy and egg intolerant. Recently I have started baby led weaning and have been reconfiguring all my recipes. How we have missed banana bread in our home! It is so easy to make vegan and only requires a whisk, some bowls, and the stove/oven. I am always searching for delicious baked goods that a) don’t require an all-purpose gluten free flour because I have yet to find one I love and making my own mixes is way too ambitious; b) don’t require my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. I love using my mixer but I don’t love cleaning it up. If you are wheat or gluten-free and/or vegan you probably already have most of the ingredients in your pantry.
I have also been eco-fying my home which includes throwing out old aluminum and non-stick scratched up pots and pans. After a lot of research, I chose the stainless steels pans from Norpro. They aren’t perfect but stainless steel is one of the least toxic materials for baking.
The recipe is adapted to be baby friendly. It’s based on the “Grain Free Banana Bread” recipe Shauna Ahern posted to food52.com several years ago; she knows what she’s doing. You can substitute the walnuts for hazelnuts or pecans, or even chocolate chips, or dried fruit. I don’t add anything when making it for a baby as it can be a choking hazard.
Ingredients
- 100g FINELY GROUND ALMOND FLOUR
- 60g ARROWROOT FLOUR
- 50g BUCKWHEAT FLOUR
- 1 tsp BAKING SODA
- 1/2 tsp KOSHER SALT (add 1/4 tsp if baking for baby)
- 1/2 CUP MAPLE SYRUP (GRADE B/2)
- 2 LARGE flax eggs (if you use 2 large eggs your bread will more airy)
- 88 ML MELTED COCONUT OIL
- 1 TEASPOON Non-Alcohol VANILLA EXTRACT
- 3 RIPE LARGE BANANAS
- 1 CUP CRUSHED WALNUTS (remove if baking for baby)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375° F. Grease a 8x8 1-pound loaf pan.
- If it's not hot where you live, melt the coconut oil in a small sauce pan on low-medium and set aside.
- DRY: Whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot powder, and buckwheat flour in a medium bowl (you will transfer this into the larger wet ingredient bowl after). Add the baking soda and salt and whisk them all together. Set aside.
- WET: In a large bowl, stir together the maple syrup, flax eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla until eggs are incorporated and oil is not floating on top.
- Mash the bananas with potato masher (or a fork). Add them to the wet ingredient bowl and whisk until everything is combined well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet a little at a time, stirring as you go. When all the flour is incorporated and there's none sticking to the sides or bottom, add the walnuts (optional) and stir a few more times.
- Pour the banana bread batter into the greased pan.
- Bake until a skewer (metal or wood) comes out clean, and the top is browned, about 45 to 50 minutes (I baked my first loaf at 50 minutes and the walnuts were a bit burned inside. Then I did 47 minutes and it was perfect. This depends on your oven)
- Cool a bit then slide out of pan (I use a spatula and butter knife) to let sit on cooling rack or plate so the bottom doesn't sink and airs out.
This freezes very well. Pack in BPA-free plastic wrap then in a BPA-free freezer bag. I do this in quarters, but I have also frozen a whole loaf.
You can spread some almond butter on it for extra iron.