Gluten-Free Banana Bread
by Nigella. Featured in COOK EAT REPEATIntroduction
I am a woman of my word, and I promised a gluten-free banana bread. Here, finally, it is. I took my time with it, because I wanted to get it right. I’m not interested in anything that is ‘good for gluten-free’: it has to offer universal delight. And I’m happy to say, this does. The crumb is tender and light — the Greek yogurt helps here, and also counters the sweetness of the banana with its tang — and the nubbliness of the walnuts and rich goo of the chopped chocolate make it a gorgeous treat. I can’t stop eating it.
I’ve said to chop both walnuts and chocolate roughly: although you will of course get some shards and rubble, I keep most pieces chunky enough to make their presence proudly felt in each sumptuous bite.
If you wish, you can easily halve everything and bake this in a 1lb loaf tin. I don’t find it takes appreciably less time to cook.
I am a woman of my word, and I promised a gluten-free banana bread. Here, finally, it is. I took my time with it, because I wanted to get it right. I’m not interested in anything that is ‘good for gluten-free’: it has to offer universal delight. And I’m happy to say, this does. The crumb is tender and light — the Greek yogurt helps here, and also counters the sweetness of the banana with its tang — and the nubbliness of the walnuts and rich goo of the chopped chocolate make it a gorgeous treat. I can’t stop eating it.
I’ve said to chop both walnuts and chocolate roughly: although you will of course get some shards and rubble, I keep most pieces chunky enough to make their presence proudly felt in each sumptuous bite.
If you wish, you can easily halve everything and bake this in a 1lb loaf tin. I don’t find it takes appreciably less time to cook.
Ingredients
Yields: 10-12 slices
- 175 grams rice flour
- 100 grams ground almonds
- 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 500 grams (total weight with skins) very ripe or overripe bananas
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 100 grams full-fat Greek yoghurt (at room temperature)
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 125 millilitres vegetable oil
- 125 grams soft light brown sugar
- 100 grams roughly chopped walnuts
- 150 grams roughly chopped dark chocolate
- 1⅓ cups rice flour
- 1 cup almond meal
- 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- mashed measure of 1½ cups very ripe or overripe bananas
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup full-fat Greek yoghurt (at room temperature)
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup soft light brown sugar
- 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
- 6 ounces roughly chopped bittersweet chocolate
Method
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C Fan/325°F and line a 2lb loaf tin (I use one measuring 24 x 12cm / 9½ x 5 inches). Unless of course, you are halving quantities for a 1lb tin. Drop in a paper liner or line with baking parchment.
- Mix the rice flour, ground almonds, baking powder, bicarb and salt in a bowl. Set aside just now.
- In a large bowl, big enough to take all the ingredients later, mash the peeled bananas thoroughly. Beat in the vanilla, and then the Greek yogurt and then, one by one, the eggs, followed by the oil and sugar.
- When everything’s combined, gradually beat in the flour mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl down to make sure all is combined, and then fold in the chopped chocolate and walnuts.
- Pour and scrape the batter into the lined loaf tin, then bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes until shrinking from the sides of the tin, and a cake tester (if you manage to avoid the gooey chocolate) will come out cleanish but with a few damp crumbs sticking to it. Sit the tin on a wire rack, and allow the cake to cool completely before removing from the tin.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C Fan/325°F and line a 2lb loaf tin (I use one measuring 24 x 12cm / 9½ x 5 inches). Unless of course, you are halving quantities for a 1lb tin. Drop in a paper liner or line with baking parchment.
- Mix the rice flour, almond meal, baking powder, bicarb and salt in a bowl. Set aside just now.
- In a large bowl, big enough to take all the ingredients later, mash the peeled bananas thoroughly. Beat in the vanilla, and then the Greek yogurt and then, one by one, the eggs, followed by the oil and sugar.
- When everything’s combined, gradually beat in the flour mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl down to make sure all is combined, and then fold in the chopped chocolate and walnuts.
- Pour and scrape the batter into the lined loaf tin, then bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes until shrinking from the sides of the tin, and a cake tester (if you manage to avoid the gooey chocolate) will come out cleanish but with a few damp crumbs sticking to it. Sit the tin on a wire rack, and allow the cake to cool completely before removing from the tin.
Additional Information
STORE:
Store in airtight container in cool place for 4-5 days.
FREEZE:
Tightly wrap whole loaf (in its tin) or slices in double layer of food wrap, then wrap tin in layer of foil or put slices in airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months (loaf) or 1 month (slices). Unwrap and defrost on wire rack at room temperature.
STORE:
Store in airtight container in cool place for 4-5 days.
FREEZE:
Tightly wrap whole loaf (in its tin) or slices in double layer of food wrap, then wrap tin in layer of foil or put slices in airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months (loaf) or 1 month (slices). Unwrap and defrost on wire rack at room temperature.
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Show more commentsHaving missed eating banana bread since I went gluten-free in 2014, this recipe was a total surprise! I tried several gluten-free recipes and was always so disappointed, I probably have baked this 20 times in the last 2 years because it is so tasty. I subbed almond flour for the rice flour since I find rice flour borders on a grainy texture. All almond flour (not almond meal) creates a perfect banana bread. Thank you, Nigella!
This cake is amazing! I used GF plain flour, melted veg block with the oil and soya yoghurt. It's a huge loaf so took longer than stated; around 25 mins longer but is so tasty and moist.. A fab dairy-free/GF option for me .....
I made this today, and I was blown away. This recipe does not taste gluten free! Most GF tastes gritty or crumbly. This was moist and delicious. I oven roasted my bananas in the skin and cooled them before mashing. Brings out the flavor. I used small loaf pans, so I reduced the time. It made three of them. Highly recommend.
Beautiful recipe. The raw mixture filled the tin to the brim so was a bit worried that it might overflow, but no, the result was a fulsome proud loaf. I most certainly did not leave it to cool in the tin, we ate it still warm (chocolate oozy) with a slab of cold butter and coffee for breakfast. A fine replacement for pain au chocolat any day. Thanks :)
I have made this a few times but substituted rice flour with fine semolina (though not gluten free).
Love this recipe; so decadent and yummy! I substituted rice flour and ground and chopped walnuts, as that's what I had in the cupboard; also, I let the cake go over time, an hour and 5 minutes, and it still came out moist. This one's a winner and a stayer. Thank you, Nigella.
This recipe is too good to be true, for a gluten free cake it is absolute perfection, I followed the recipe exactly and I am amazed xx I am NEVER using another recipe! thank you soooo much, Nigella, much love!
Used 2 medium eggs and no chopped almonds and it turned out really tasty and extremely moist! Had to cook it - strangely - for about 1h15 (at about 55' in had to cover the top with foil as it was browning too much). As much as I love dark chocolate, I would have perhaps liked a little less and perhaps swapped with milk chocolate.
I couldn't believe how wonderful this cake turned out, so delicious and soft, not heavy at all like other gluten free cakes I've tried, thank you.
This recipe worked perfectly first time, and the result was a beautiful, light, not too sweet, tasty cake which my husband loved. I’m not a cake fan generally speaking but even I enjoyed this one. Thanks Nigella, can always trust your recipes to do what they say they will.
Made half of the quantities mentioned. Must say it was beautiful. Just the right texture and crunch. Love this recipe. Thanks heaps Nigella.
Made this during our current governent lockdown. Left out the chocolate as not a big fan.But had all the other ingredients so gave it a go. The loaf turned out brilliantly. Probably the best banana bread recipe I've tried. Top tip though is to line your tin and include a collar of 2 inches above the tin edge. There is a lot of cake batter in this recipe, it came to the top of my tin. This also has the advantage of giving an even colour to the top. Had to bake for 60 minutes then left in cooling oven for 20 minutes Perfect.