If you’re planning to read this week’s highly-anticipated royal memoir (I’m of course referring to Spare), you may find yourself in need of something to snack on while Harry spills the tea. But even if you’re not among those of us who will be reading, this top-8-free version of Duchess Meghan’s banana bread is worth a bake.
There are a couple of attributes that make her take on this well-loved bread special: The addition of freshly-grated ginger, which gives it a subtly spicy, aromatic quality; the dark chocolate chips; and bananas, sliced lengthwise, placed on top of the bread before it bakes, for an artful touch.
I had to make a number of substitutions, including flax eggs in place of eggs, gluten-free flour and vegan chocolate chips in place of their conventional counterparts, and I omitted the walnuts altogether, so honestly my hopes for the result were not high, but this recipe is a winner.
Enjoy!
Duchess Meghan’s Banana Bread (adapted to be Gluten-Free, Vegan and Nut-Free)
Print Pin RateEquipment
- 8X8" glass baking dish
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp flax meal
- 6 tbsp warm water
- 8 tbsp room-temperature vegan, soy-free, nut-free butter, such as Soy-Free Earth Balance
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3-4 bananas, depending on size)
- 1 ripe banana sliced thinly lengthwise, for topping
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 ⅔ cup gluten-free one-to-one baking flour, such as Bob's Red Mill
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- ⅓ cup vegan dark chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a small glass bowl, combine the flax meal and warm water and stir to combine, then set aside.
- Grease an 8X8" glass baking dish with vegan butter or coconut oil, then line with parchment paper.
- Place vegan butter, brown sugar and vanilla into a medium mixing bowl and beat using a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add flax meal mixture and beat until incorporated.
- Add mashed bananas and maple syrup and use a whisk or fork to mix until the banana is distribute evenly throughout the batter.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine.
- Add chocolate chips and ginger and stir to combine.
- Spoon batter into greased baking dish and smooth the top, then top with banana slices.
- Place baking dish into the oven and bake for 1 hour (you'll know it's done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.)
- Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully move to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Sliced and serve!
