Christmas Cake Banana Bread

Not just for Christmas, this fruity spiced banana bread is a year round favourite! Think banana bread meets fruit loaf. Yum.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

It’s full of the warming flavour of all your favourite spices, naturally sweet with zero added or refined sugars, gluten free and vegan, yet perfectly soft and fluffy. Basically everything you want in a good banana bread. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Classic Nina style with hidden veggies too, but promise you cannot taste em.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

I have been LOVING a big slice of this toasted and spread with nut butter as my pre-training snack this week, and couldn’t not share the recipe with you...

Don’t be fooled by the long ingredients list, it’s just because of all the extra spices added and is super duper easy to make!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Ingredients:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• 150g brown rice flour⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• 150g buckwheat flour ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• 1 tsp baking powder ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• 1 tsp bicarb soda⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• 1 tbsp flaxmeal⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• 1 tsp ground ginger⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• 1 tbsp cinnamon⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• Pinch of nutmeg⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• 1 tsp gingerbread spice mix (recipe from my Self Made Ebook)⠀⠀

• 40g peanut or almond butter ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• 200g mashed ripe banana⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• 150g mixed dried fruit (I used dried figs, sultanas, currants, dates and dried apple)⠀⠀

• 1 tsp vanilla extract ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• 1.5 cups almond milk⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• 200g zucchini, grated⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• 2 tsp orange zest, finely chopped⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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Method:

1. Soak dried fruit in boiling water for 10 minutes to soften and rehydrate, then chop larger bits like figs and dates.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

2. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a loaf tin with baking paper.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

3. Combine flours, flax, spices, baking powder and soda in a bowl.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

4. Add nut butter, vanilla, milk and banana to a blender and blend until smooth.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

5. Stir together wet and dry ingredients to combine, then fold in orange zest, zucchini and dried fruit.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

6. Pour into loaf tin and bake for 45-50 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Notes:

• Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.