Maple Banana Bread

Does the world need another banana bread recipe?  Probably not.  But I'm going to share with you anyways because my family absolutely loves this maple banana bread.  I mean, they love it so much that one loaf is basically a single serving.  Since it has less refined sugar than most banana bread plus gluten free oats added in, I don't feel so bad about letting them splurge on this treat.  Besides, banana bread is super easy to make and almost foolproof so this is a great recipe for a baker of any experience level. 

If you're a banana bread lover, you'll also want to check out my banana pecan bread and my double chocolate banana bread.

Ingredients

• Gluten Free Flour Blend - for almost all of my recipes, I use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour Blend.  I have found it to be the most versatile gluten free flour.  It works particularly well in cakes and quick breads, like this maple banana bread.  You can use your own favorite flour blend but keep in mind this recipe was developed with BRM, so your final product may be slightly different. 
• Oat Flour - I like to add a little oat flour to my maple banana bread to give it a more hearty consistency.  You can buy pre-made gluten free oat flour from Bob's Red Mill, but most of the time  I just throw some gluten free oats into the food processor and grind them until they are a fine consistency. 
• Baking Powder  - Banana bread batter can be very heavy, so we definitely need some leavener to keep it light and fluffy.
• Spices - I personally adore cinnamon in this maple banana bread, but you could also add a little nutmeg if you want.
• Olive Oil - Part of the moisture of this bread comes from the fact that it uses oil instead of butter.  Don't substitute here.  
• Sugar - White sugar will work fine for this recipe.  
• Eggs - Eggs are the piece that hold the dough together.  I have not tried this recipe without eggs (vegan) and I don't suggest it.  If you need an egg free recipe, I suggest looking for one specifically made for that diet to avoid disappointment here. 
• Maple Syrup - The syrup plays a number of roles in this recipe - sweetness, flavor and moisture.  Use a good quality Grade A maple syrup. for the best result. 
• Vanilla - Just a hint of vanilla to sweeten the flavor.
• Bananas - The star of any banana bread.  You want to go for ripe or overripe bananas as the banana flavor really shines through the riper the bananas are.  
• Nuts - Totally optional.  I used walnuts, but pecans would also be delicious. If you're nut free, you can eliminate them with no other changes needed in the recipe.

Instructions

Maple banana bread is so easy to make. It doesn't even require a mixer.

STEP 1: Combine the gluten free flour, oat flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl.

STEP 2: Crack the eggs into a second bowl and whisk them until they are frothy, like soap bubbles.

STEP 3: Add the olive oil, vanilla and maple syrup to the beaten eggs. Whisk again until smooth.

STEP 4: Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and fold together with a spatula, about 10 strokes.

STEP 5: Add the mashed banana and walnuts to the batter and fold together about 5 more strokes.

STEP 6: Pour the banana bread batter into your prepared pan and sprinkle the top with oats. Then bake!

How do you store gluten free maple banana bread?

Store this banana bread in an air tight container.  Technically banana bread does not need to be refrigerated.  However, if you like in a warmer climate like I do, you may want to stick yours in the refrigerator because the bananas can begin to ferment after a day or two at warmer temps.