Coconut Almond Flour Banana Bread {4 ingedients, vegan}

You are going to flip over my 4-Ingredient Coconut Almond Flour Banana Bread! Made with almond flour and coconut flakes, it is vegan, paleo, oil-free, grain-free, and has no added sugar.

Yes, the world needs another banana bread recipe! Not just any recipe, but one that is fit for a healthy, happy new year and (just as/perhaps even more importantly) a breeze to make.

It’s the latest product of my kitchen experiments: 4-Ingredient Coconut Almond Flour Banana Bread.

It is D%#$ DELICIOUS!!!

This decadent-tasting recipe boasts all of the following attributes:

• Vegan
• Paleo
• Oil-free
• Added sugar free
• Grain-free
• Gluten-free

The 4 ingredients are familiar and easily acquired:

1. almond flour or almond meal
2. unsweetened coconut flakes or shreds
3. baking powder
4. mashed ripe banana

Begin by grinding the coconut flakes in a food processor until they resemble coarse meal. 

I use 180 grams (6.3 ounces) of coconut in the recipe. I highly recommend using weight, not measuring cups, for this recipe.

I used finely shredded unsweetened coconut, which comes to about 3 and 1/2 cups, but this can vary a lot by brand (and if using larger flake coconut). If you do not have a kitchen scale, use the weight on the bag to help guide your measurements.

***Note: coconut flour cannot be used as a substitute for the ground coconut*** Coconut flour is a byproduct of coconut milk production; it is almost fat free, powdery in texture, and very absorbent. It will not work in this recipe.

Place the ground coconut in a large bowl along with the almond flour/meal and baking powder. If you like, add up to a teaspoon of your favorite spice, too (some of my favorites: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, or pumpkin pie spice). I also like to add a 1/4 teaspoon of fine sea salt, but it is completley optional.

Stir the dry ingredients until combined and then add the mashed ripe banana. This is an excellent way to use up many bananas in one fell swoop because you will need a whopping 2 cups (500 mL). It is the only sweetener (and liquid) in the recipe.

Mix the banana with the dry ingredients until combined into a thick, moist batter. FYI, the batter is delectable on its own. I test these things for you :).

Evenly spread the batter into a 9×5-inch loaf pan, smoothing the top.

***Note: Do not do as I do (unlined baking pan) in the photo below. Instead, line the pan with parchment paper first! It will make for much easier removal and also prevents overbrowning at the edges.***

Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 55 to 60 minutes until the bread is a deep golden brown, set at the center (an inserted skewer should come out clean except for a few moist crumbs), and risen (it is not high rise, but it does rise).

Ta-da!

The next step is an important one: cool the bread completely before removing from the pan. Complete cooling plus parchment paper overhang ensures easy removal from the pan. Also, run a knife along the short sides of the pan (the ones that do not have parchment paper) to ease removal.

Much as you will want to hack off a slice asap (the scent is intoxicating), take your time cutting the bread (haste begets crumbles). I find that a serrated bread knife, used to slowly saw, works best. Chilling or semi-freezing the bread makes cutting easier, too. See my recipe notes for guidance.

And there, firendly readers, you have it! This bread is so moist, sweet and flavorful you will think you are eating cake. 

Happy new year, indeed!

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