Banana Bread That Smells Like Christmas

A deliciously moist banana bread that's naturally sweetened and gluten-free! Packed with the goodness of ripe bananas, maple sugar, and cinnamon, this bread is perfect in the afternoon, for breakfast or as a snack in between. Our kids love to take it to school.

You can even add dairy-free chocolate chips or roasted nuts for extra flavor and texture.

What you'll need (and probably already have):

• Baking pan 9 x 5 inches (rectangular)

• Stand mixer like Kitchen Aid (or hand mixer)

• 3 ripe bananas

• 2 large eggs

• 50g maple sugar

• 100g soft butter

• 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 180g gluten-free flour blend (I started making my own blend!)

• A pinch of salt

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• Optional: Dairy-free chocolate chips or roasted nuts (for extra crunch)

• Optional: replace one part of flour with almond meal (for a nutty flavor and texture)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the Oven: Heat your oven to 170°C (340°F). Grease and flour a small rectangular baking pan.

2. Prepare the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the eggs and maple sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and the sugar has dissolved. Add the soft butter and beat again until combined.

3. Mash the Bananas: Peel and mash the bananas with a fork until smooth. Stir in the cinnamon until well combined.

4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together the gluten-free flour blend, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. If you’re adding almond meal, mix it in here. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. If you're adding any optional extras like chocolate chips or roasted nuts, fold them in at this point.

5. Bake: Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top starts to darken too much during baking, cover it with aluminum foil.

6. Cool & Serve: Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then gently remove it from the pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy the taste and smell in your house!