Gluten free Banana Bread Muffins

Since I feel I was successful in my baking endeavors this week, I thought I would post the recipe I used to make my muffins. I know this recipe comes from a cookbook, but I don't know what cookbook because the recipe I have is just a copy from the book. Perhaps my honey will tell me what book it came from if I ask him.

Banana Bread
2 Cups of Brown Rice Flour or any combination of gluten free flours
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (all-spice works well here too if you don't have nutmeg)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 beaten eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 5 medium or 3 large)
1 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cooking oil (I used olive oil, but any vegetable based oil would work with the exception of peanut)
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used shredded coconut, but any nut would work)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x5x3 inch or two 7 1/2x3 1/2x2 inch loaf pans, or two muffin tins with 12 muffin cups apiece (if you do muffins, just use the paper muffin cups - saves time and grease). In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine eggs, bananas, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (Batter should be lumpy). Fold in nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan(s).

3. For the larger loaf pan: bake in a 350 degree oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
For the two loaf pans: bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Muffins: Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.

A Baking Success

I am not very good at baking. I do fine with the cooking part but baking things like cake, cookies, bread, or anything else like that - I fail miserably! I do okay with the boxed mixes, and I make good chocolate chip cookies, but anything beyond that I cannot do.

So, I was given a challenge this week. My boyfriend texted me the other day and told me he had some bananas that were no longer fit for eating, but were perfect for banana bread. The last time I made banana bread the bread crumbled and was not done in the middle. He said he was going to bring me the bananas along with the recipe. So, I took it as a challenge to be successful in this baking endeavor.

Instead of using the gluten all-purpose flour I opted to use brown rice flour. I then had to come up with something in place of the sugar. I have been doing a lot of research on natural sweeteners and whatnot and the other day I came across one I hadn't heard of - coconut sugar. Apparently coconut sugar is made from the nectar of the coconut blossoms that bloom before the coconut grows in its place on the tree. I am able to have coconut, so I figured its sugar counterpart was fine. Just like refined sugar, though, it has as many calories and needs to be eaten in moderation. The plus side is that it has a very low glycemic index score, which means that it won't make your blood sugar spike as quickly as regular sugar does and it is easier for the body to digest. So needless to say, I went and bought some coconut sugar.

Now I was ready to make this banana bread. I whipped up the batter according to the instructions and then put the batter in the fridge. This morning I got up a little earlier than usual and pulled out the muffin pans. I put in muffin papers and proceeded to fill twenty four muffin cups with banana bread batter made with rice flour and coconut sugar. I then put in the muffin pans into the oven and while the muffins were baking, I went and got ready for work. After I was done getting ready for work, the muffins were done.

They turned out really well and they are tasty too! I am happy to say that this baking challenge was a success! People at work liked the muffins and so did my honey! And I have a lot left for tomorrow too! Yay!

I hope everyone has a wonderful New Year! See you all "next year!"