Cake Pan Banana Bread

Summary: I adapted the recipe in terms of the preparation but stayed very true to the original ingredients. The recommended cooking temperature of 320 degrees F is a little unusual. But this, combined with my method of cooking in a cake pan instead of a deeper loaf pan, creates a far shorter bake time and will prevent the loaf from over-browning as can sometimes be a challenge with nuts and nut flours.

Yields 12 servings.

Ingredients

2 cups (200 grams) almond meal
1/4 cup (25 grams) ground flax seed (flax meal)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups very ripe banana (285 grams/10 ounces when peeled; see notes)
3 large eggs
1/4 cup (55 grams) coconut oil, melted (may substitute a fruity olive oil)
3 tablespoons (60 grams) honey
1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) white vinegar (may substitute lemon juice)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Optional topping: 2 tablespoons mini or regular chocolate chips and/or shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, and grease a 9-inch round cake pan. (Optionally, an 8-inch square pan may be used.) I like to line the pan with a round of parchment paper for easy removal.
In a medium bowl, mix together the almond meal, flax meal, cinnamon, and baking soda.
In a large bowl, mash the peeled bananas with a fork. Add the eggs and whisk to combine. Add the coconut oil, honey, vinegar, and vanilla, and stir well.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir to fully incorporate.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle with the optional topping(s). Bake for 30 minutes or until just cooked through the center. (The center will feel slightly springy when pressed.)
In the original recipe, she decorates the top of the banana bread before baking with sliced banana or a handful of chopped walnuts and a light sprinkle of cinnamon.
Check a few minutes early as all ovens vary. If the top is sufficiently brown but the center is still not cooked through, drape a piece of foil lightly over the top.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool before turning out of the pan.
Tightly wrapped, the bread will keep in the fridge for at least one week. May be frozen.

With only 2 tablespoons of honey, this recipe relies on the sweetness of the bananas. So the blacker the skin, the sweeter the bread will be. That said, the recipe is only mildly sweet. If you prefer a sweeter loaf, I recommend adding approximately 2 tablespoons of your preferred sweetener. Chocolate or peanut butter chips are a tasty–albeit less healthy–option.