Banana bread is one of those foods that couldn’t possibly be improved upon, right? Think again! Our gluten-free banana bread features that same, dense texture and buttery taste you know and love with added blueberries sprinkled throughout and a creamy coconut spread to sweeten the deal. Plus, it's gluten-free! Coeliacs, go crazy!

Mid-range between a bread and a cake, this reinvented cafe shop classic contains antioxidants to protect against free radicals and oxidative stress, and of course good old potassium which can regulate fluid balance, muscle contractions and nerve signals! Like we said, it's banana bread, but better!

Enjoy a slice hot or cold with your Super Latte of choice for the ultimate afternoon indulgence and think of how much better off you are than filling up on the empty calories of a cream-filled eclair or choc-loaded muffin.

Better Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 medium-sized ripe bananas
• 60 g (1/4 cup) coconut oil
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 100 g (2/3 cup) dried blueberries (optional)
• 60 g (¼ cup) chopped pecans
• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) almond meal
• 2 Tbsp Knowrish Well Tocos
• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) self rising gluten free flour
• 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) plant-based milk 

MAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
2. Peel the bananas and place in a wide-bottomed bowl, then use a fork to mash until you get a smooth paste
3. Place the coconut oil in a separate large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using coconut oil is already liquid form)
4. Once melted, add the maple syrup to the same bowl along with the vinegar, cinnamon, vanilla, raisins and ground almonds
5. Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and tocos
6. Add the mashed bananas, and mix well, adding the milk a small amount at a time until you get a loose batter. You may not need to use it all depending on how liquidy your bananas are - you may also need to add a little more milk if your bananas are dry
7. Transfer mixture into a greased baking tin lined with baking paper (I used an 18cm/7inch springform baking tin)
8. Bake in oven for around 30 minutes until risen and golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean
9. Once out the oven, leave to cool on a wire rack before applying the frosting

For the frosting:

1. You’ll need to keep your tin of coconut milk in the fridge overnight for the rich creamy bit to separate from the watery bit at the bottom. Make sure it is full fat coconut milk, otherwise this separation won’t happen and you won’t be able to make this cream!
2. Open the tin upside down – the coconut cream will be at the bottom and you can just pour off the watery liquid (save this for adding to soups or smoothies)
3. Place the thick, creamy part into a bowl
4. Add the lemon juice and maple syrup 
5. Use an electric whisk (or a manual one and a lot of elbow grease) to whip up the coconut cream until light and fluffy

If you bake this banana bread, be sure to tag us @KnowrishWell #KnowrishWell so we can go bananas in the comments. Xx Knowrish Well