Almond Butter Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups All‑purpose flour (Provides structure; can substitute gluten‑free blend)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt (Enhances flavor)
• 1 teaspoon Baking powder (Leavens the bread)
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda (Works with the banana’s acidity)
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground cardamom (Warm spice; optional – can use 1 tsp cinnamon instead)
• 2 Large eggs (Room‑temperature)
• 1/2 cup Granulated sugar (Sweetens the loaf)
• 1/4 cup Almond butter (for batter) (Adds nutty depth; use smooth almond butter)
• 1/4 cup Plain Greek yogurt (Adds moisture and tang; can substitute sour cream or crème fraîche)
• 3 Very ripe bananas (About 1 cup mashed; overripe with black spots for maximum sweetness)
• 2 tablespoons Coconut oil (liquid) (Keeps batter moist; melt if solid)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract (Adds aroma)
• 3 tablespoons Almond butter (topping) (Creates crunchy swirl topping)
• 1 tablespoon Granulated sugar (topping) (Sweetens the topping)
• 1 teaspoon Coconut oil (topping) (Helps bind topping)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven and prepare pan

   Position the oven rack in the center and preheat to 350°F. Cut a piece of parchment paper to the width of the loaf pan, brush a thin layer of coconut oil on the pan, lay the parchment on the bottom, and brush the parchment with a little more oil to prevent sticking.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 350°F

2. Make the almond‑butter swirl topping

   In a small bowl combine 3 Tbsp smooth almond butter, 1 Tbsp granulated sugar, and 1 tsp melted coconut oil. Stir until smooth and set aside.

   Time: PT3M

3. Mash bananas

   Peel 3 very ripe bananas (about 1 cup mashed). Use a potato masher to break them down, then measure out 1 cup and set aside.

   Time: PT5M

4. Measure and whisk dry ingredients

   In a bowl whisk together 1 ⅓ cups all‑purpose flour, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, and ¼ tsp ground cardamom until evenly combined.

   Time: PT4M

5. Whisk eggs and sugar

   In a second bowl, whisk 2 large eggs until slightly frothy, then add ½ cup granulated sugar and continue whisking until the mixture lightens a bit.

   Time: PT2M

6. Combine wet ingredients

   To the egg‑sugar mixture add ¼ cup smooth almond butter, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, the mashed banana, 2 Tbsp liquid coconut oil (melted if solid), and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Whisk until the batter is smooth and no almond‑butter lumps remain.

   Time: PT3M

7. Fold in dry ingredients

   Gradually add the dry‑ingredient mixture to the wet batter, folding with a spatula until just combined. Scrape the bowl to ensure no pockets of flour remain.

   Time: PT2M

8. Add batter to pan and swirl topping

   Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Drop dollops of the almond‑butter topping over the surface, then use a skewer or toothpick to swirl the topping into figure‑eights or random patterns.

   Time: PT3M

9. Bake the banana bread

   Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 55 minutes, or until the top is golden‑brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

   Time: PT55M

   Temperature: 350°F

10. Cool and unmold

    Allow the loaf to cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove the parchment and transfer the bread to the rack to cool completely (about 15 minutes) before slicing.

    Time: PT25M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

4 g

Carbohydrates

35 g

Fat

10 g

Fiber

2 g