Grandma’s Banana Bread (GF/V option)

I’m going to share my family’s special secret recipe for banana bread! It’s the go-to for my grandma, my mom, and now me. I’ll include the original, which I bake for my husband, and the allergy-friendly modifications I make for myself will be located below. Feel free to switch out the flours for others like almond, but know that coconut will significantly effect the texture. Only use 1/3 of what you normally would.

Makes 1 bread-pan loaf in 60 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit

GF, V version

Ingredients

• 2 c. flour
• 1/2 c. butter or vegetable shortening (I use Crisco)
• 1 c. sugar (I cut it in half for myself to get a muffin-like texture)
• 2 eggs (Bob’s Egg Replacer or flax eggs)
• 1/4 c. buttermilk (add 1 t white vinegar or ACV to dairy free milk)
• 3 mashed overripe bananas
• 1/2 t baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1 t cinnamon*
• 1/2 t nutmeg*
• 2 mixing bowls
• bread pan

Perfect GF/V Version

• 1 c. oat flour (make yourself by blending quick oats* dry)
• 1 c. buckwheat flour
• 1/2 c. Crisco (sub half for applesauce for less fat*)
• 1/3 c. light brown sugar (sub for any kind dry)
• 1/2 c. white sugar (sub for any kind dry)
• 2 T Bob’s egg replacer or another egg replacer
• 1/2 c. DF milk + 1 T AC/white vinegar (this includes 1/4 c. liquid for the egg substitute)
• 4 mashed overripe bananas (3 is okay too)
• 1/2 t baking soda
• pinch salt
• 1/2 T cinnamon
• 1 t nutmeg
• pinch allspice
• Crisco & flour to coat pan

1. Beat sugar into the butter or shortening with a hand mixer or standing mixer until creamy. About 1 min. You can use half brown sugar here, but don’t substitute a liquid or it will alter the consistency.
2. Add eggs OR if making DF/V version, combine the remaining wet ingredients separately. You will need to mash the bananas on their own first using a fork or masher.
3. Add the buttermilk OR your bowl of wet ingredients*.
4. Separately, combine all dry ingredients with a whisk.
5. Now, add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until combined.
6. Turn on your oven to 350, then prepare your bread pan. (I coat mine in Crisco and flour.)
7. Pour into a bread pan and bake for 60 minutes or longer, until top is golden and a knife or toothpick comes out of the center clean. You can make muffins instead, but they will be done quicker and I have not timed them. Let me know if you try it!
8. Remove from pan and allow to cool. Once cooled, keep in the fridge (I use a plastic bag).

*I make oat flour by putting GF quick oats in a high-speed blender until it reaches the texture I want. I use the same amount of oats that I want to end up with once it’s flour.

*You CAN use vegetable shortening or coconut oil instead. Reduce the amount by 3/4 (2 T less) for vegetable oil and use the same amount for coconut. Do not use olive oil. It doesn’t taste good here. Treat avocado oil like vegetable oil.

*The spices here are optional. My mom was the first to add them, and I add even more. Spice to your taste. Cardamom may make a great addition, or leave them all out and add chocolate chips!

*Wet ingredients can be confusing when using egg substitutes, so here’s what I do. I have found that pre-mixing flax eggs and substitutes like Bob’s verses adding them to my dry mixture and using extra liquid to compensate both create the same end results. Do whatever you are comfortable with, just be careful to keep track of how much moisture you are adding so you don’t adjust the consistency.

A few minutes in

Cooling

Best served chilled with butter!