We use to make banana bread every Sunday when my kids were young.
My daughter who is eleven, recently reminded me of this forgotten tradition and came alive when she was reminding me of our weekly baking afternoons.
She recounted how the smell of freshly baked banana ANYTHING still makes her feel five years old and she shared that she missed those times spent mixing and pouring and then devouring together.
The memory reminded me that I missed those days too.
Life’s been tough for everyone this past year with so much change while living through a national pandemic, and we all have been a little nostalgic for the good ole days, don’t you think?
We currently can’t go to concerts, or movie theatres, or share our homes with our friends, BUT this mama can still whip up a delicious smelling banana bread for an after school snack to bring back a small taste (literally!) of good times past.
So, today, I got right to it.
Except….
Hold the breaks.
I had bananas that were literally dying to hop into my mixing bowl, but do you think I could find an egg in that empty egg carton suspiciously put back into the refrigerator?
Umm, nope. I could not.
The egg carton looked as empty as the theatres and concert halls!
So INSTEAD, I regrouped and I tried my hand at a vegan eggless banana bread attempt.
AND YOU GUYS, I FREAKING SURPRISED MYSELF!
This one is going to be a return contender for best banana bread I’ve ever eaten, or made, so it deserves a spot here, for you and your family too.
Here’s how to make it:
Batter Ingredients:
• 4 very ripe bananas for batter
• 1 banana for topping (sliced)
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Simply mix all ingredients together and then pour into a greased loaf pan. (I used a thick coating of coconut oil to maintain a crispy delicious indulgent edge and a moist bread interior.)
Add sliced banana to the top
Bake uncovered, top rack on Convection option (if applicable) at 375F for 50 minutes.
As the bread was cooling, I poured my simple glaze on to the top of the bread.
Here’s how I made this vegan too:
Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup of icing sugar
3 tablespoons of almond milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Then, slice, serve and bet your family that they won’t be able to just have one slice of this perfect banana goodness.
You’ll win this one, promise!
Are you like me and you never have all the ingredients you need for a recipe? Does banana bread smell like childhood to you too? Did you have more than one slice of this perfect vegan delight? What would you change or add to this recipe?
