Soft and moist gluten-free banana bread drizzled with a sweet and nutty browned butter frosting creates the perfect bite of gluten-free banana bread (and it doesn't crumble apart!)
I had the realization that even though I have almost 100 recipes here on Flippin' Delicious, I don't have a single recipe for gluten-free banana bread. I do have an amazing Peanut Butter Banana Blondie recipe (which is also included in my cookbook) but not a single banana bread recipe.
That was a grievous sin that had to be immediately corrected.
So here is my recipe for gluten-free banana bread. It is soft, but doesn't crumble apart. The browned butter adds a slight nuttiness, but you could easily substitute oil in the bread itself if you live the dairy-free way. Unfortunately there is no dairy-free flavor substitute for browned butter, but the bread will still be delicious! If you have a stand mixer it makes mashing the bananas super easy. You just toss the whole bananas in and beat them with the paddle attachment and then add the other ingredients and mix as instructed. That being said, this banana bread is mixed up very easily without the use of a stand or electric mixer so if you don't have one, no worries! The bread itself is slightly sweet. I didn't want to make it too sweet because I knew I was going to be drowning it in dreamy browned butter frosting.
Let me tell you about that frosting. I saw Yammie's recipe for zucchini bars with browned butter frosting. I waited anxiously for an opportunity to make them. It took me an entire week, but it was well worth the wait. Soft bars and the frosting, OH the frosting! It took a LOT of self control to not eat ALL of the frosting with the spoon. Somehow I controlled myself just enough to have some frosting left for going on top of the zucchini bars.
Since those bars I've been dreaming of browned butter frosting, which inspired me to make my own version of that heavenly browned butter frosting for my banana bread. The frosting on the top is pretty sweet.. And life-changingly amazing. The brown sugar and browned butter perfectly enhance each other. I made several changes from Yammie's frosting recipe. I dissolved my brown sugar by heating the browned butter, milk, and brown sugar in the microwave before adding the powdered sugar. Once I added the powdered sugar, just before frosting the banana bread, I heated the frosting up again to help it pour smoothly over the bread, and set up like a smooth and shiny glaze.
The result, moist gluten-free banana bread drizzled (or drowned) in sweet and nutty browned butter frosting. The perfect bite of banana bread!
If you are looking for a healthier banana bread recipe, (hey, I don't eat everything drowned in brown butter frosting!) I think you'll love my friend Taylor's Paleo Coconut Flour Banana Bread.
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Browned Butter Banana Bread
Soft and moist gluten-free banana bread drizzled with a sweet and nutty browned butter frosting creates the perfect bite of gluten-free banana bread (and it doesn't crumble apart!)
Ingredients
For the Gluten-Free Banana Bread
- 1 ½ cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed (about 4 oz by weight)
- ¼ cup white sugar (about 2 oz by weight)
- ¼ cup browned butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if you use a blend that already has xanthan gum)
- 2 cups guten-freef lour blend (I use my flour blend, and have also tested Bob's 1 to 1) (11 oz by weight of my gluten free flour blend)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Browned Butter Frosting
- ¼ cup browned butter
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1-1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Banana Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and line a 9x4 loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Mix together the mashed banana, sugar, browned butter and eggs until smooth.
- Add the remaining banana bread ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the bread springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. (If you use a wider 9x5 loaf pan it will bake for 45-55 minutes.)
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and frosting.
For the Browned Butter Frosting
- In a small microwave safe bowl mix together the browned butter, brown sugar, and milk.
- Heat for 15-20 seconds or until the brown sugar is dissolved (if you rub the mixture between your fingers you won't feel the grains of sugar.)
- Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and stir until smooth. If you want the frosting to be thicker add an additional ¼ cup.
- Just before frosting the banana bread heat the frosting in the microwave for another 15-20 seconds. Drizzle/pour over the banana bread. Allow the frosting the set up slightly before slicing the banana bread.
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1 slice of gluten free banana breadAmount Per Serving Calories 254Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 52mgSodium 279mgCarbohydrates 42gFiber 1gSugar 24gProtein 3g
Linked up at Allergy Free Wednesday, Gluten-free and DIY Tuesday, and Gluten-free Wednesday.
Linked up at Fantastic Friday
