Gluten-Free Banana Bread with Chocolate and Coconut
“Loaded” Gluten-Free Banana Bread with Chocolate and Coconut that’s rich in bananas, light on the (unrefined) sugar, and packed with bittersweet chocolate and coconut flakes.
Gluten-Free Banana Bread with Chocolate and Coconut
Just a short post today as we are still brushing off the crumbs from yesterday’s big meal (or perhaps planning not to eat again for a bit!). Still — hunger will strike. And I’d like to gently suggest this candidate for a snack when you feel like delving back into it: a loaded gluten-free banana bread that’s rich in bananas and low on the added sugar.
A trio of gluten-free flours and just a bit of unrefined sugar balance out a lot of bananas (you’ll need about five!). I added chocolate, toasted coconut, and walnuts because while I do love a plain and simple banana bread I felt like having something a little more (or more-ish as the Brits and Aussies say — isn’t it a perfect word?). The bread is sweet, mostly from the bananas, so it really doesn’t need much extra (you could try it without the coconut sugar as well, and I imagine that if you’re using really really ripe bananas you wouldn’t need any at all). It’s a lovely breakfast snack or afternoon snack with tea, which is how I’ve been eating it.
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!
Til next time – N x
Ingredients You’ll Need for Gluten-Free Banana Bread with Chocolate and Coconut
- Sorghum flour: A wonderful, versatile whole grain gluten-free flour
- Buckwheat flour: A hearty, flavorful gluten-free whole grain flour
- Almond flour: Use almond flour rather than almond meal
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Coconut Sugar: You could use maple sugar instead
- Bananas: Go for very ripe, softened, medium bananas
- Oil: I use olive oil, but you could also use refined or unrefined coconut oil, or unsalted, melted butter
- Eggs: Use large eggs
Tips for Success
- Let batter rest while the oven heats so flours can better hydrate.
- Bring ingredients to room temperature before using.
- See “Notes” section following the recipe for substitution suggestions.
How to Store
To store, wrap the banana bread tightly in plastic wrap. The bread can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Gluten-Free Banana Bread with Chocolate + Coconut
Ingredients
- ¾ cup/100 g sorghum flour
- ½ cup/75 g buckwheat flour (about ¾ cup)
- ½ cup/60 g almond flour
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 5 bananas very ripe, mashed, about 2 cups
- 2 eggs large, at room temperature
- ½ cup olive oil or melted coconut oil or unsalted butter
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup coconut flakes toasted
- ½ cup walnuts toasted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center position. Lightly grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan. If your pan is glass or stoneware, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. I used a glass pan and baked my banana bread at 325°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a medium bowl, mash the bananas, then whisk in the eggs and oil.
- Stir in the banana mixture to the flour mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips, coconut, and walnuts. Pour batter into the prepared pan and let rest for about 15 minutes if possible.
- Place pan in oven and bake for about 75 minutes, checking around 70 minutes, until a tester comes out clean, the top is firm, and the edges are pulling away from the pan. A glass pan at lower heat may take longer than 75 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool in pan on a rack for 20 minutes, then turn out onto the rack to continue cooling fully. Bread may be kept, well wrapped in the fridge, for up to five days.