Banana Bread/Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
When my aunt Cathy dropped by our house for a visit and tea, she was always packing a loaf of banana bread baked at her restaurant, Harry’s Coffee Shop, in La Jolla, California. Under her strong encouragement, I’d chow piece after piece until I’d scarfed nearly an entire loaf. “It’s good for her!” she’d say as my mother looked on in slight horror. And I believed her. I mean, banana bread? Come on! Eating that pillowy deliciousness was like getting extra-credit points for free. Of course, in adulthood I discovered that this supposed health bread, like everything else tasty, was virtually a heart attack in loaf form. Butter? Eggs? Bleached flour? Sugar?! Aunt Cathy, take note: Below is how you do it while sparing yourself—and your behind—the grief. If you’d like to take this recipe to the next level, include 1 cup of chocolate chips when you add the banana. You will not be sorry.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 10 slices
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 7 × 4 × 3-inch loaf pan with oil.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, and cinnamon. Add 1/2 cup oil and the agave nectar, rice milk, and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Stir until the batter is smooth. Using a plastic spatula, gently fold in the bananas until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Step 3
Fill the prepared pan halfway with batter. See “Batter Spectacular” on page 63 for ideas for using leftover batter. Bake the banana bread on the center rack for 35 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees after 20 minutes. The finished loaf will bounce back slightly when pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.
Step 4
Let the banana bread stand in the pan for 20 minutes. Gently run a knife around the edge of the cake, cover the top of the pan with a cutting board, and invert the loaf onto the board. Carefully lift the pan away and re-invert the bread onto another cutting board. Either cut and serve warm, or wait until completely cool before storing. Cover the uncut banana bread with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
