Another day, another banana bread.
Because, as everyone who reads this blog knows, I buy bananas but can’t eat them because I am allergic to them but love having them around the house because they smell so wonderful and besides, my husband Ed says he likes them and does, occasionally, eat one.
But most are left over so I have dozens of recipes for Banana Bread. My kids love Banana Bread but mostly I give it away, often for the bi-monthly Tea our local Hadassah group holds for cancer patients and caregivers at Stamford Hospital.
Recently, one of the patients, who has been taking chemotherapy and said nothing tasted good to him, mentioned that my Banana Bread was the best thing he had eaten in a long time. He also said he appreciated how soft and moist it was.
I think about that a lot. How a simple piece of cake can make someone so pleased.
So next time I am sending this version. I wanted to make a Banana Bread without shortening, butter or any dairy. I used Earth Balance natural buttery spread plus coconut oil for the fat and coconut milk as the liquid.
It’s a simple recipe, but absolutely soft and moist.
So, I will be able to enjoy the fragrance of the bread as it bakes, even if I can’t taste it. And I hope the patients at Stamford Hospital will love how it tastes and that it makes their day a little brighter and better.
Banana Bread
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup Earth Balance natural buttery spread
1/4 cup coconut oil
1-1/3 cups sugar
3 large or 4 small very ripe bananas, mashed
3 large eggs, slightly beaten (or use 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce or plain soy yogurt as a vegan substitute)
1/2 cup coconut milk
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch (8-cup) bundt pan. Mix the flour, salt, ginger and baking soda together in a bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer set at medium speed, beat the buttery spread, coconut oil and sugar until well blended. Add the bananas and blend in thoroughly. Add the eggs and beat well. Stir in the coconut milk and blend thoroughly. Add the flour mixture and beat until batter is well blended. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about one hour or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove to a cake rack to cool completely.
Makes one bread, serving 16-18