If it isn’t too late, let me start this post by saying Happy New Year! I know it’s been a while but just like any extended vacation or break, getting back into the swing of things can be a little sluggish. I’m actually looking forward to the coming months; it just feels like some fun and interesting foodie things are coming.
To jumpstart my adventure with food this year, I decided to go with something familiar – Banana Nut Bread. The fact that I had a few bananas sitting around ripening sort of nudged me in that direction. I did change up the ingredients used this time around though.
I would ordinarily make my bread using sugar creamed with softened butter and then adding buttermilk but only had the sugar on hand. Since I was already going to do some substituting, I decided to go ahead and experiment with other ingredients as well. Some people would go to the grocery store and get the “right” stuff or just walk away from the idea of baking the bread but I really wanted some. What would you have done?
To make this loaf, I whisked together sugar and melted margarine in a large bowl. Next I whisked in two eggs.
In addition to substituting the margarine for the butter, I also substituted Almond Milk for the Buttermilk. I’m drinking Almond Milk more frequently than cow’s milk these days. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to make this substitution in some other recipes too. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will work. I stirred 1/3 cup of the milk into the liquid mixture.
Three medium bananas seems to work well for a single loaf of Banana Bread. I guess it depends on your taste but it’s just the right amount for mine. I just peeled all three, placed them in a bowl and mashed them with a fork. Afterwards, they were added to the bowl and whisked just until blended.
The final substitution was with the flour. I usually bake Banana Bread with 2 cups of All-Purpose Flour alone but this time I decreased that amount to 1-1/4 cups, then added 1/2 cup of Whole Wheat Flour and 1/4 cup of Coconut Flour. It’ actually a nice blend.
Next time, I’m going to decrease the All-Purpose Flour to 1 cup and increase the Coconut Flour to 1/2 cup. I’m curious to see how it works out. Please feel free to share if you have a flour combination that is working well for you too.
Finally, I stirred in some chopped pecans. I love pecans but I’d like to try this recipe with some other nuts as well. Maybe some type of assortment. Am I complicating this? Nahhh. Doing it.
The batter was poured into a prepared pan and baked for 50 minutes then checked for doneness. I returned it to the oven for another 10 minutes. The resulting loaf was pretty satisfying.
Look at how pretty it is. The house smelled amazing while it was baking. It had me sitting around dreaming about enjoying my first slice with a cup of coffee or tea. I totally lazed up and didn’t make either. Instead I poured a glass of root beer which is unlike me because I don’t have a habit of drinking sodas. I’m just going to chalk this moment up as one of dual indulgences.
This bread is moist and, as you can see, can be mixed up without the use of an electric mixer. It’s perfect for breakfast, as a snack, and even dessert if you think like I do. Have you ever had Bananas Foster served on a toasted slice of Banana Bread with Vanilla Ice Cream? What a treat!
Banana Nut Bread
Ingredients
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
3 medium-sized ripe bananas
1/3 cup almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 – 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F with the rack in the bottom third position of the oven. Line an 8” x 5” loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing the excess to hang over the sides. Spray the inside with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl, then set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until combined. Whisk in the eggs, then add the almond milk and vanilla extract, stirring until well blended and smooth.
Use a fork to mash your bananas. Whisk them into the batter.
Using a spatula, gently stir the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture until combined and no dry flour is visible. Fold in the chopped pecans.
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Place the hot loaf pan on a wire rack and cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and cool for another 10 minutes. Slice and enjoy.
