(Alisa Fleming, of Go Dairy Free and One Frugal Foodie, was kind enough to share this yummy sounding recipe with us. Thanks Alisa!)
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.
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