For Heavenly Banana Bread, Try Combining These 2 Flours

To make a heavenly banana bread that tastes like a slice of paradise, try combining your all-purpose flour with almond flour. Made by finely milling almonds that have been blanched and peeled, almond flour is a brilliant gluten-free ingredient used in a variety of baked goods from Bundts and biscuits to beyond. Although its texture is grainier than all-purpose, it makes for a simple, uncomplicated swap in many sweet recipes because it can be substituted for regular flour at a one-to-one ratio.

Substituting part of the all-purpose flour in your banana bread recipe for almond flour has three key benefits. Firstly, almond flour lends cakes and muffins a damp and delicious texture because it contains natural oils. It elicits a slight change in the consistency of baked banana bread, turning it into a dreamy delicately crumbed loaf that melts in the mouth and has a longer shelf life. Secondly, the almond flour lends banana bread a rounder, nuttier flavor, which complements any additional mix-ins that you may have added to the batter, such as walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips.

Finally, almond flour is extremely absorbent, so it's perfect for adding body to a loose cake batter that's been made from overripe bananas that would ordinarily dip in the middle once baked. The flour soaks up some of the extra moisture so the bread isn't heavy, overly damp, or gummy in the center when it comes out of the oven and has a uniform consistency.

Substituting all of the regular flour for almond flour in a banana bread recipe is possible; however, it will result in a crumblier loaf that doesn't have the same high rise. This is because almond flour doesn't contain any gluten, which is key to helping cakes keep their structure as they lift, and instead relies on the leavening properties of other ingredients, such as eggs, and binders, like flax, chia seeds, or tapioca starch.

It's better to combine two flours when whipping up banana bread because you benefit from the very best qualities in both of the ingredients. For example, the all-purpose flour provides gluten, which lends the banana bread some shape and aids a good rise whereas the almond flour brings a touch of extra moisture and a nutty, delicious undertone. This simple combination of flours creates a moist and deliciously tender result, which still has sufficient lift and a balanced crumb.

Feel free to experiment with the ratio of almond and all-purpose flour you use in your next batch of banana bread to create a divine loaf that suits your palate. With a little trial and error, you'll soon figure out whether you prefer a higher, fluffier rise or a denser loaf with a nuttier flavor.