The Nut Butter Cookbook

You can enjoy this wonderfully moist banana bread with a cup of tea or coffee at any time of the day or eat it sliced and buttered for breakfast, Caribbean-style. Transform it into a teatime treat by drizzling it with lemony icing or topping with some peanut butter and soft cheese frosting.

SERVES 8

PREP 15 MINUTES

COOK 1 HOUR

3 ripe bananas

150g (5oz/⅔ cup) peanut butter

3 tbsp coconut oil, plus extra for greasing

180g (6½oz/scant 1 cup) soft brown sugar

2 large free-range eggs, beaten

4 tbsp almond milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

150g (5oz/1½ cups) gluten-free flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

100g (4oz/scant ¾ cup) ground almonds (almond meal)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

icing (confectioner’s) sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas 4. Line an oiled 450g (1lb) loaf tin (pan) with baking parchment.

Beat the bananas, peanut butter, coconut oil and sugar together. Use a hand-held electric whisk or food mixer to make this easier. Beat in the eggs, almond milk and vanilla.

Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and gently fold into the mixture with the ground almonds, salt and ground spices. If the mixture is a little thick, just add some more almond milk to slacken it.

Pour the mixture into the lined loaf tin and bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour until the loaf is well risen and golden brown. You can test whether it’s ready by inserting a metal skewer into the centre – if it comes out clean, the banana bread is cooked.

Allow the loaf to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then turn it out onto a wire rack. When it’s completely cold, dust with icing sugar and cut into slices to serve. This loaf keeps well, wrapped in kitchen foil, for several days.

Tip: This banana bread freezes well. Wrap it in foil and a plastic freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.