Banana Bread (Vegan, Wheat & Gluten Free option)

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Hot from the oven! Why yes, that is a Laguiole knife...

This is another one of my most popular recipes - I call this Helen's super-duper Banana Bread because it never fails!

This is a tea bread i.e. a loaf cake that is designed to be eaten with vegan butter or spread, or your favourite jam. It's not bread in the structest sense of the word, but a slightly less sweet version of a cake, that is very nice for high tea. (Oh, la di dah!)

This delicious and versatile loaf is great served warm for breakfast, or with your favourite spread at any time of the day.

I recently made a very acceptable wheat & gluten free version of this substituting the wheat flour for gram (chickpea) flour. It's slightly less sweet than the original, but very tasty and gives you a nice consistency and good structural integrity, which is often lacking when baking with other gluten-free flours. gram flour can make the mixture a little too stiff, in which case just add 1-2 tablespoons of your favourite plant milk.


Ingredients

115g vegetable margarine suitable for baking
175g light brown soft sugar
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
6 tablespoons water
3 large very ripe bananans
50g walnuts, roughly chopped
225g / 8 oz self raising flour (or gram flour for wheat free version)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon


Method

Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F.

Line and grease a 2lb loaf tin.

Cream the vegetable fat and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flaxseed and water until it takes on a gelatinous texture.

Add the flaxseed mixture to the sugar and fat and beat well.

Peel and mash the bananas, and add to the creamed mixture along with the walnuts. Beat well until combined.

Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon, and mix well into the banana mixture.

Spoon into the tin and level the surface.

Bake for approx 1 hour. 

Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then remove from the tin, peel off the baking paper and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. 

Eat some while it's still warm - fresh, warm banana bread is the best!


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