Zucchini Banana or Applesauce Bread (grain-free & naturally sweetened)
This grain-free, naturally sweetened zucchini bread puts a healthy spin on the ultimate summer quick bread. Can be customized to taste, too.
Ingredients
- 1½ cup (168g) blanched almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon each cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice (may use all cinnamon)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup (80g) honey (pure maple syrup works well, too)
- 1 medium-large overripe banana (about ½ cup or scant ½ cup, mashed or just under, 105-120g － may substitute ½ cup of unsweetened applesauce)
- 1 cup (113g/4 ounces) shredded, unpeeled zucchini (no need to squeeze out moisture)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Place all of the wet ingredients except the zucchini in a mixing bowl and then beat (may use a handheld or stand mixer, or you can mash the banana well and then whisk in the remaining wet ingredients by hand) on medium if using electric option for 1-2 minutes or until frothy and fully combined. Add the zucchini and beat or stir just to incorporate.
- Slowly beat or stir in the dry ingredients, mixing just enough to fully incorporate.
- Spoon the batter into 1 (9x5) metal* loaf pan or 3 (3½x5) mini loaf pans.
- Bake for 40 minutes, give or take a few, for a 9x5 pan or approximately 25 minutes for 3 mini loaves. Check 5 minutes early and drape a piece of foil overtop if the bread is sufficiently golden brown. (To be sure of doneness, a quick-read thermometer inserted in the center of the loaf should register between 200-205 degrees F.)
- Cool for 5 minutes in the pan(s) before removing to a rack to cool completely.
Notes
*When baking in a glass loaf pan, the edges and bottoms of quick breads can brown too quickly, sometimes before the inside has cooked through. This is more common when nut flours are used (as in this quick bread) or the recipe has a high sugar content. Light colored metal loaf pans are also preferable to dark coated pans for the same reason.
Helpful hints:
•You could use this batter to make muffins, simply adjusting down the time to accommodate.
•As mentioned, I don't squeeze the moisture from the shredded zucchini, but I also haven't used more than the stated measurement. If tempted to experiment and go heavy on this ingredient, you may wish to squeeze it in a clean tea towel to remove some of the liquid before adding to the batter.
•You could use this batter to make muffins, simply adjusting down the time to accommodate.
•As mentioned, I don't squeeze the moisture from the shredded zucchini, but I also haven't used more than the stated measurement. If tempted to experiment and go heavy on this ingredient, you may wish to squeeze it in a clean tea towel to remove some of the liquid before adding to the batter.
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