If you're like me (and by the looks of it, a billion other people on the internet), you didn't eat the bananas you bought a couple weeks ago during your stressful grocery shopping experience. It's okay, no judgement from me. I almost never eat a banana. I buy them FOR the bread. Which frankly, is more like cake, as most quick breads are. So now that we are all on the same cake-loving page, I thought I'd share a gluten free recipe I've been tweaking to get the right balance of sweetness, and a good, solid, non-gummy crumb. You wheat bakers have no idea what I am talking about, but most GF flour blends have a high rice content which is very gooey in not a great way for banana bread when you add liquid. Enter: almond flour. Doesn't take on a ton of moisture, and creates some separation in the batter so your bread cooks through beautifully with a nice nutty flavor.
I'm also a fan of adding some ribbons of whole banana to the top before baking so the sugars caramelize and add a little Pinterest pizazz to the finished product. I also bake mine in three mini tins because 1. Someone in this house doesn't like walnuts in their banana bread (the NERVE), and 2. Then you have the option of SHARING if you like people, or maybe have screaming children and a neighbor that works from home. For example.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup gluten-free 1-to-1 all-purpose flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup softened butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons almond milk, or regular milk (I have also used watered down yogurt).
1 cup mashed ripe banana, about 2-3 bananas
Combine dry ingredients, set aside.
Mash bananas, set aside
(I reserved 1/2 to lay on the top. They get nice and caramelized)
Blend the butter + sugar until fluffy (very important)
Add eggs, vanilla, milk, continue to beat.
Fold in 1/2 dry mix, 1/2 banana, rest of dry mix, rest of banana. Add in walnuts. Lay your whole pieces on top.
Bake in a 350 degree oven until the top is deeply browned, but not burned.