Banana Bread

My mom's banana bread is always devoured quickly. The monkey LOVES it so much he can eat an entire small loaf in a sitting. My first batch was very crumbly. So I decided to try xanthan gum in it to thicken it up a bit. This was prior to my discovery of the corn connection with xanthan gum. I am now thinking that maybe just a bit more flour or possibly tapioca starch would help make it a bit more firm. This bread makes a lovely choice for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Original Banana Bread

3 mashed, overripe bananas*
3/4 Cup butter **
1 1/2 Cups sugar
2 eggs
1 Teaspoon vanilla
2 Cups flour
1 Teaspoon baking soda
3/4 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup buttermilk
1/2 Cup chopped pecans (Optional)

Modified Banana Bread

3 mashed, overripe bananas
3/4 Cup butter
1 1/2 Cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Teaspoon vanilla
2 Cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All-purpose flour
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 Teaspoons xanthan gum
1/2 Cup So Delicious vanilla coconut milk

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 2 large bread pans (or 4 small) with your cooking spray of choice. (We use Spectrum Coconut Spray.) Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add bananas. Add flour, baking soda, xanthan gum mixing thoroughly. Stir in milk. Bake for approximately 45-60 minutes or until knife inserted into bread comes out clean.


*Note: The monkey and his cousin watch the bananas intently, and know when they are ready to make bread. They should be mostly brown bordering on black. If I can't use them right away, I peel them into a freezer bag and store them in groups of three. Peeling before freezing makes them much easier to handle.

**Note: We haven't found a good substitute for butter that doesn't have one of his allergens. So we are keeping with butter for now.