Is it Banana Bread Season?
They had an awesome sale on bananas this past weekend at a Grand Opening Albertson’s sale, just 25 cents per pound, so it was time to stock up! Bananas are a mainstay in my smoothies, which gives me an excuse to buy … oh … about eight pounds of them. I sliced them up, flash froze them on a cookie sheet (in batches of course) for about an hour at a time, and then put them into baggies in the freezer for later use.
Of course, I left a bunch out to enjoy fresh, and a few extras for banana bread. Undeterred from my first vegan baking attempt at brownies, I jumped into the opportunity to remake my favorite banana bread sans eggs. Sure, there were many vegan banana breads on the net, but not a one compared to my hearty version. I have never been a fan of dry and cakey. My desserts must be moist and dense (crumb topping always helps too), and quick breads should have enough in them to make a good breakfast.
While my recipe still needs a bit of refining, it was really pretty good. The loaf was moist, with a light sweetness that my husband really enjoyed (he snuck back for seconds, and thirds, and… well you get the picture). It didn’t rise too much, but just enough. To get a taller loaf, I think just a bit more flour would do. Oh yes, and I did sway a bit from my old recipe, which is a banana whole wheat bread. I used coconut rather than flaxseed for a lighter more dessert like taste (I will pursue a heartier loaf on the next batch).
Anyway, without further ado, here it is…
Banana Coconut Loaf
- 2 cups flour (whole wheat, white whole wheat - for a lighter bread) or all-purpose)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
- 1/4 cup oil (I used coconut)
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (may use honey for non-vegan or agave nectar)
- 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
- 3 ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)
Preheat oven to 350º and lightly grease a loaf pan (I used a 9 x5, though a smaller one will likely create a taller bread)
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and coconut (see notes below) in a large bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Mash up those bananas, and add them to the small bowl of liquids. Going back to the large flour bowl, make a well in the dry mixture and pour your liquid mixture in. Gently fold the batter until everything is well combined, but be careful not to overmix. A few lumps are okay.
Spoon the batter into your prepared loaf pan. It is a bit thick, so you may have to coax it into place a bit. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Notes: For the quick bread pictured, I used white whole wheat flour (King Arthur brand) since I was out of whole wheat bread flour. I also whizzed 3/4 of the coconut (6 Tablespoons) in my spice grinder for a few quick whirls. I wanted to have a denser loaf with more of an infused coconut taste, which it seemed to do. The remaining 2 Tablespoons I threw in as is, in shredded fashion.
Recipe and photo from One Frugal Foodie, do not copy without permission
