Banana bread with Cinnamon Swirl

This protein packed banana bread is a favorite in my house, and whenever I have overripe bananas, this is my go-to recipe. My kids beg for this bread which can also be called a banana cake because it’s that dense and moist, and with a cinnamon swirl center giving the bread a bite of sweetness.

Entirely grain-free, this bread is made out of combination of almond flour, coconut flour and arrowroot flour (can alternatively use tapioca starch). It is sweetened 4 with overripe bananas and a little maple syrup. The optional cinnamon swirl center and topping is a combination of low glycemic coconut sugar, coconut oil and arrowroot flour. Also free of dairy, the bread is made with heart healthy extra virgin olive oil and a small amount of coconut oil if you choose to do the cinnamon swirl.

I make this almost weekly because it’s fast and easy, (you can blend all ingredients in one bowl, with the exception of the cinnamon swirl), and it’s versatile enough for a protein packed breakfast, snack or a savory dessert. I hope you enjoy!

BANANA BREAD
4 overripe bananas
2 1/4 cups of almond flour
1/4 cup of coconut flour
1/4 cup of arrowroot flour
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 cup of olive oil
2 eggs
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1 tsp of vanilla extract

CINNAMON SWIRL
3/4 cup of coconut sugar
1 tbsp of arrowroot flour
2 tbsp of melted coconut oil
1 tbsp of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all banana bread ingredients in a large electric mixer like this KitchenAid version, and let it mix for at least a minute until everything is combined and smooth. If you are not using a heavy duty electric mixer, first combine all the dry ingredients in one bowl and set aside. Then secondly, blend the bananas and wet ingredients in a separate larger bowl until smooth. Then combine the dry ingredients into the wet until everything is combined, smooth and with no lumps.

Next, make your cinnamon swirl layer. Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and then mix well until combined. It should be a sugary, crunchy texture. I like to use a fork to mix it together.

Grease a 9×6 loaf pan using coconut oil. Make sure you are generous with this so the bread doesn’t stick to the sides. I like to take a paper towel full of coconut oil and smear it on all sides inside the pan. Pour half of the banana bread mixture into the loaf pan and then top with 3/4 of the cinnamon swirl mixture, covering the banana bread. Next, pour the rest of the banana bread mixture in the pan and sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon swirl for an extra sweet topping.

Bake in the oven for about 1 hour until the center is cooked through and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Allow the bread to cool for about 15 to 20 minutes before removing it from the pan. Cut into slices and enjoy!