I have three kids. And they can demolish a bunch of bananas in a day if they have their heart set on it. Trouble is, the next week, I buy two bunches of bananas anticipating the same banana demolition, and the kids don’t touch them. At. All. It’s frustrating. But in my determination not to let those overripe bananas go to waste, I’ll bake them into something. In this case, the Best-Ever Gluten Free Banana Bread you will ever eat.
And guess what? The kids, they eat it up. Mom win.
This banana bread is “spicier” than most other recipes. And by spicy, I don’t mean it will burn your tongue from heat. Just that it has a fair amount of warm spices in it. Think, pumpkin pie were actually banana bread. Or gingerbread if it were actually banana bread. Pleasant warm spices that meld perfectly with traditional banana bread flavors.
Just like my kids will put away a bunch of bananas, if I left them to it, they would eat the entire loaf of this as well. So while it is spiced, it’s still kid-friendly.
Personally, banana bread can look a bit boring. Brown all around.
And aside from a stray nut or two, it tends to be pretty uniform in texture too.
This banana bread does a few things to put a spin on the traditional (cough. boring.). I like to halve bananas lengthwise and sink them into the top of the batter before I put the pan in the oven. The bananas caramelize and become gooey, a syrupy texture that is a nice contrast to the bread itself. It also helps keep the moisture up.
Then, after I add the banana halves, I adorn the top of the loaf with a sprinkle of turbando sugar. This gives the loaf a pretty speckled appearance, as well as a crackely, crunchy top to bite into. Adding another texture to the loaf.
Also, if you’re like me, and lamenting the fact that you’re 8×8 pans don’t have straight up and down sides to make a perfect square, invest in this pan. I did. And now I feel so much more pleased with my bakes that should be a square. Not to mention it performs like a dream.
This Best-Ever Gluten Free Banana Bread is like a party in your mouth. Sinfully good. And the best part about it is that it’s healthier than cake, because of the bananas, so if my kiddos do end up eating the whole thing in a day, I don’t feel quite so bad.
Let me know if you try it or if you have any questions, and I’ll be happy to help you troubleshoot!
Best-Ever Gluten Free Banana Bread
Equipment
- 8×8 Baking Pan
- Stand mixer
- Medium bowl
Ingredients
- 8 Tbsp Butter (1 stick)
- 1 Packed cup Brown sugar
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 5 Bananas (very ripe)
- 1 3/4 Cup Gluten-free 1-1 baking flour blend
- 1 tsp Ginger
- 1 tsp Cardamom
- 1 tsp Nutmeg
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 Cup Chopped pecans or Chocolate chips
- 2 Tbsp Turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer, cream together beat the butter, brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, and vanilla with the paddle attachment until well blended.
- dd the dry ingredients to a medium bowl–flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Whisk to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth until level.
- Lay the remaining 1.5 banana (3 lengthwise slices) into the top of the batter.
- Sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick can be removed from the center without wet batter.
- Cool and serve.
If you like this recipe, or have more overripe bananas to use, make sure you check out my recipe for the Best Ever Gluten Free Banana Nut Muffins.
