Banana Date Bread
Author:Delicious and healthy Banana Date Bread. Made with wholewheat flour, it's naturally sweetened, easy to make, really moist and perfectly sweet even without added sugar. Perfect for brunch or snacks!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (230 grams) stoned medjool dates , divided (about 17 large dates)
- boiling water
- 3 medium 7 to 8 inch (370 grams) bananas
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) dairy-free milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2¼ cups (295 grams) whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (reduce from 3 last time for next try)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
INSTRUCTIONS
- Put one cup (155 grams or about 12) of the stoned dates into a small bowl. Pour plenty of boiling water over them, cover with a lid or a plate, and leave to soak for at least 15 minutes. Longer is fine if you forget about them.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease and line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
- Chop the remaining ½ cup (75 grams) of dates into small pieces. Set aside.
- Drain the soaked dates and add them to a mixing bowl or the bowl of a food processor. If in a food processor, process until smoothish. If in a mixing bowl, mash them really well. I find it easier to start with a knife and fork. Chop them up into little pieces, then start mashing with the fork. They won't become completely smooth, but you should be able to get them smushed up pretty well.
- Now add the bananas to the dates and mash or process them up into a puree too.
- Add the extra virgin olive oil, milk, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon and mix/process to combine. If you are using a food processor and it is big (holds at least 14 cups) and is relatively powerful, you can continue with the next steps in the machine. If not, scrape it out and into a large mixing bowl.
- To the wet mixture, add the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix gently to combine, then add the chopped dates (break clumps up with your fingers as you add them) and fold them through the batter.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan, even the top with a spatula, and bake for about 55 minutes or until well risen, starting to come away from the sides, and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. In a dark pan, it will be ready a little quicker so check at 50 mins.
- Leave in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack.
NUTRITION
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 411mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 66IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg
