Good Morning! Quickly, if you are in the Northwest, Pia and I will be on New Day Northwest at 11AM PT on KING5. I will try my hardest not to “interfere” as she teaches everyone how to make scones and generally start thinking about what to make for mothers day- should be pretty funny!
Ok, now, are you ready for the most tender, moist and delicious quick bread ever?! And would if then I told you that it was Gluten Free and Vegan. TRUE STORY.
We are Banana Bread freaks in this house- well my kids are. I bake a loaf several times a month. But every once in a while, a happy accident happens. Like when you don’t have enough banana’s and you decided to sub in sweet potatoes. Then you decide to change up the spices a bit and then you sit and wait as the smells of sweet success fill your house.
But when you cut into this PERFECT loaf, you will be so excited that it turned out this well.
This is perfect for school lunches, afternoon snacks and as a grab and go breakfast in the morning- you will watch this become as much of a staple for your house as it is for ours!
- 2 ½ cups Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons xanthum gum
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cups banana puree
- ¾ cup unsweetened sweet-potato puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted
- ½ cup hot water
- powdered sugar for sprinkling on top
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a loaf pan with coconut oil.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the dry ingredients .
- Add the banana and sweet-potato puree, vanilla, coconut oil and hot water and mix until well combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake 60 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Let cool to warm or room temperature before turning out, sprinkling with powdered sugar of the pan and slicing.
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Oh my gosh, she is going to be so adorable! And this banana bread looks amazing!
I never say no to bread, especially when its covered in powdered sugar!
I could eat banana bread for EVERY meal! This recipe sounds delish!
Heather, it’s so exciting that Pia is going to be cooking on TV! This vegan bread looks amazing!
This is lovely! I’ve never done a SWEET sweet potato dish, always just used it as a savory side. This bread looks delicious
This breeeeead!! Agh it looks like pure perfection! I absolutely love all-things quick bread, and am definitely itching to try this sweet potato loaf of bliss. It looks so moist and tasty!
What an amazing gluten free bread!
This sounds like a perfect way to start the day… with my nice big cup of coffee!
What is xanthum gum and what does it do in the recipe?
xanthum gum is sold with the other types of gluten free flours and alternative baking materials in the grocery store. It is the additive that makes gluten free baked goods emulate regular flour that has gluten. It basically binds the bread together and gives it the chew and moisture of regular baked goods. Without it you get a sandy, gritty or rubbery baked good that is not nearly as good. Do not skip the xanthum gum. You can buy a bag for about $10 and it will last you 6 months to a year of steady baking.
Now this is my kind of bread!
Should the batter come out more on the chunky/thicker side?
It is on the thicker side- yes! But I really run it in the mixer for a while to get it as smooth as possible because my kids do not like “chunks” of banana in their bread!
Hi Heather! I made your banana bread recipe and it’s delicious. I have a question though. I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour instead of the all purpose one. The flour I used lists xanthum gum as an ingredient, so I left out the 1 1/2 tsp. My loaf didn’t rise as high as yours and there’s a ribbon of slightly uncooked batter on the bottom. Should I have put in the called for amount of xanthum gum anyway? Thanks!
I used a Red Mill gf flour that already contained xanthum gum, so I didn’t add the 1 1/2 tsp. you called for. My bread didn’t seem to rise as much as yours and there’s a little ribbon of slightly undercooked batter at the bottom. Should I have added the extra xanthum gum?
Hi Kathy- no you wouldn’t want to add more xanthum gum- but I am not sure if it is the same ratio as mine? if you try again double check your baking powder and maybe it just needed to bake a little longer with that flour blend- like an extra 5 minutes or so?
Thanks, Heather! I’ll try that – in the meantime, I’m still enjoying my loaf. The flavors are fantastic! Thanks for putting these awesome recipes together. It helps to take the sting out of having to forego so many foods (I’m gluten, dairy and egg free, as is my daughter and two grandchildren). Btw, I’m a fellow Seattlite!
I have learned to always add xantham gum even though the flour I use already has it. It has turned my recipe flops, that never rise, never fully cook, or always fall apart, into recipe winners. So, I never agree if someone says not to add the extra xantham gum. An extra tsp on top of what’s in my gf flour is a lifesaver for me. Hasn’t failed yet.
great to know- thank you C
Would you think I could substitute the banana with more sweet potato and or add an egg? We don’t have egg allergies, but we do have a banana aversion 😉
Thanks!
Hi Genevieve! By the way- I am allergic to bananas, so I get it! I would use all sweet potatoes instead 🙂
I really want to try this, but before I embark on a tragic baking fail adventure, I wanted to ask if the sugar has a function other than sweetening the bread? I’d prefer to make it without or with less.
Thanks a million!
Hi Kia- definitely there is a chemistry function to the sugar. I have not made it with less sugar so you will have to experiment. I think it depends on how much you plan to omit. I think 1/4 or 2/3 cup will be fine but I couldn’t tell you how it woudl turn out past that? Another option might be to use something like coconut sugar which is much less sweet than cane sugar?
I personally do not like to digest xanthum gum for different reasons, that being said are there any alternatives to it that is not a “gum”? Thank you in advance!