Banana, coconut and honey bread

Banana, coconut and honey bread

My new focus is to make my gluten-free cakes even more healthy and cost effective. This is even more important when moving to a new country where ingredients are different and more scarce than you are used to. Making the most of what you have and using cheaper alternatives are important. This recipe can double up as a breakfast bread which is delicious lightly toasted with a cup of tea or coffee. 

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas

150g gluten free flour

70g buckwheat flour

10g baking powder

1 tsp ground cardamom

30g dessicated coconut

120ml olive oil

2 eggs

6 tbsp honey

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees and greasde and line the bottom of a loaf tin. 

Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl. Add the flours, baking powder, coconut,cardamom and honey and mix lightly to combine.

Measure the olive oil in a measuring jug, add the eggs and mix to combine. Pour into the mixing bowl and fold together to incorporate air.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour or until the top is firm to the touch and a knife comes out clean when poked in the middle. Place on a wire rack to cool. It will keep for a week and can be sliced like bread. If you are feeling naughty you can add your favourite topping or even just dairy-free margarine. This is a good breakfast alternative to expensive gluten-free bread. 

Banana and pecan cake

Banana and pecan cake

Banana and pecan cake

I seem to be having alot of overripe bananas at the moment. Perhaps it is due to the miserable weather we have been enduring and the prevalence of sweet nectarines. Annywho, I decided to add pecans to this mix to add fibre and of course taste. 

Ingredients:

200g dairy free margarine
100g light brown sugar
2 eggs
170g self raising gluten free flour
1 tbsp rice milk
80g ground almonds
90g pecan nuts
3 or 4 overripe bananas

Unroasted pecans

Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the pecans in the oven for 10 minutes whilst you prepare the mix. In a large mixing bowl, add the margarine and sugar and mix until you have a light and creamy mixture. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition. Then add the milk, ground almonds and flour and fold in. 

Chopped roasted pecans

Take the pecans from the oven and lightly chop into medium pieces. Add to the mix. Take the bananas and break them into pieces with your fingers, adding to the mix. Combine together gently then pour into a greased 10” loose-bottomed cake tin. 

Next to some bananas

Pop into the oven for 40-45 minutes until browned on top and a knife comes out clean when poked in the middle. 

Lovely and baked

Leave in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out to cool. Enjoy with a nice cup of tea.

Lovely eaten

So, do you prefer walnuts or pecans?

Black banana cake

Black banana cake

Black banana cake

Bananas are wonderful things but there is a certain fear of bananas which ripen until they turn black. Whilst they might be too soft for some to eat as they are, they provide a wonderful natural sweetness for cake. This recipe is a useful one to keep when one has too many bananas!

Ingredients:

200g dairy free margarine

100g light brown sugar

2 eggs

170g self raising gluten free flour

5g baking powder

1 tbsp rice milk

80g ground almonds

3 or 4 overripe bananas

Preheat the oven to 180C. In a large mixing bowl mix the margarine and sugar together until light and creamy. Mix in the eggs, one at a time and do not fret too much if it curdles. Next fold in the flour, baking powder and ground almonds. Add the rice milk to lighten the mixture. Break the ripe bananas into pieces into the mix and combine carefully being careful not to over mix.  

Looks better in real life!

Pour the mixture into a greased 8” loose-bottomed cake tin and pop into the oven for 45-50 minutes.

Looks better?

Leave in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out. Can be enjoyed straight away or the next day toasted for breakfast with some coffee!

Nicely toasted

Great with fresh figs

Black Banana and White Chocolate Muffins

Black Banana and White Chocolate Muffins

What to do with some overripe bananas? I know, make some super yummy muffins with some naughty but nice white chocolate!

Black and white muffin!

Ingredients:

Scary banana!

175g dairy free margarine
100g light brown sugar
2 eggs
150g self raising gluten free flour
75g ground almonds
3 or 4 overripe bananas
125g white chocolate
few drops vanilla essence

Preheat the oven to 170C. Pop 12 muffin cases into a muffin tin (somewhat predictably).

White chocolate

In a large mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon to mix the margarine and sugar together until well mixed together. Add 1 egg at a time and slowly mix together. Do not fret if the mixture curdles. To the rescue comes the flour and ground almonds. Gradually mix together. Without fear or trepidation, move onto the overripe bananas. Remove the peel and then chop the soft banana into medium pieces. Chop the white chocolate into small pieces. Add the bananas, chocolate and essence to the mixture and carefully mix together. 

Hopefully will turn into magic!

Spoon between the 12 muffin cases and pop into the oven for 1 hour until golden brown. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes before enjoying warm or the next day in a packed lunch. 

Voila, the magic!

Banana and Rum Muffins

Banana and Rum Muffins

Banana and rum are a lovely combination that deserves a wider audience than the Caribbean. I decided to give it a go in this quick recipe which can serve as a late, lazy Sunday treat.

Banana and rum muffin!

Ingredients:

Ripe banana and Mount Gay rum

150g dairy free margarine
2 eggs
100g light muscovado sugar
2 tbsp rum
130g ground almonds
110g plain gluten free flour
1 tsp gluten free baking powder
1 tsp aniseed, crushed finely
4 small bananas cut into pieces

Preheat the oven to 200C and pop 10 muffin cases into a muffin tin.

Melt the margarine and whisk in the eggs, rum and sugar. 

In a mixing bowl, combine the ground almonds, flour, ground aniseed and baking powder and then mix in the liquid mixture. 

Once combined, pour into the muffin cases until halfway filled. Add the banana pieces on top and press down lightly.

Lovely bananas

Pop into the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown.

Fresh from the oven

These muffins can be enjoyed fresh from the oven with a nice cup of tea or coffee.

Nice cup of tea?