Banana Walnut Cacao Bread
Moist and delicious banana walnut cacao bread is bursting with yumminess!
Banana bread is one of my comfort foods. That light, sweet banana flavour is, in the case of this recipe, joined by the crunch of walnuts and hits of chocolate. It all keeps this bread so moist and delicious. Definitely an indulgence!
But, in the case of this banana bread, it's gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, and great for ovo-lacto vegetarians.
Using cacao nibs instead of traditional chocolate chips, lowers the sweetness of what might otherwise be an overly sweet banana bread. If you prefer regular chocolate chips, cut the amount to 1/2 cup and use semi-sweet.
For anyone with a cinnamon allergy, use cardamom instead. Cut the amount to 1/2 teaspoon and it will turn out lovely.
Ingredients
(Makes 12 servings)
3 large bananas, ripe and mashed
1 tablespoon almond milk (or other non-dairy/dairy milk)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1, 1/2 cups cassava flour (or 2 cups all-purpose flour and omit the tapioca flour)
1/2 cup tapioca flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plant-based butter, softened
1 cup monk fruit sweetener (or granulated white sugar)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup cacao nibs
Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F / 165°C then prepare a 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan by greasing it then lining it with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, add the bananas and mash with a fork, or pulse with immersion blender, until well puréed. Add the nut milk and cinnamon then mix well to combine. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, sift together the cassava and tapioca flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, add the butter and sweetener and beat on high until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Lowering the speed to medium-high, add the eggs one at a time ensuring the first is well incorporated before adding the second. Once both eggs are incorporated, slowly add the banana and milk mixture. Combine well. Lowering the mixer speed to low, slowly blend in the dry ingredients. Switching to a spatula, fold in the walnuts and cacao nibs.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean (about 75 minutes). Remove from the oven and let stand 15 minutes before using a knife to carefully separate any stuck edges. Use the parchment paper to lift the loaf out of the pan and let cool on a wire rack until the bread reaches room temperature.
Slice and enjoy!
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
total calories = 259 | total fat = 12.93g | saturated fat = 4.93g | cholesterol = 32.5mg | sodium = 346.17mg | net carbohydrates = 43.7g | dietary fibre = 4.96g | sugars = 4.75g | protein = 4g
