Spelt Banana Bread

This spelt banana bread recipe uses 100% fresh milled spelt flour to make a delicious moist loaf that is sure to become a family favorite!

Banana bread is my youngest daughters favorite thing to bake in the kitchen. She relishes the opportunity to make a loaf with me, and it is one of the signature things that we do together. She is my banana bread girl.

I’m pretty sure she keeps an eye on the bananas each day until they start to gain their brown spots and speckles. Because only the very ripe, nearly mushy and rotten looking ones will do to make banana bread in this house. The flavor that fully ripened bananas lends is incomparable.

I once saw a meme on social media that had a picture of browning bananas and basically said, “Throw us away, and stop telling yourself you’re going to make us into banana bread. Face the reality that we’ll sit here until we rot and you finally throw us away.” I had to laugh, because that is certainly not the truth in this household. I’m pretty sure I get asked to make banana bread multiple times a month, whether their are bananas in the house or not.

Converting to Spelt Banana Bread

The original recipe, which I have been making for years, was passed down from my grandmother. I cherish the small tattered and stained recipe card that was typed in an old fashioned typewriter. (You know, there was a time before computers, and printers, right?)

The recipe is a classic, and equally delicious. However, as I am moving into the realm of milling my own wheat and striving to goal toward nutrient dense daily bread, I wanted to to adapt this recipe to include a different flour. If you don’t mill your own grains, no worries. You can still use the recipe above. But!…if you are dipping your toes into home milling like I am, or using alternate flours made from ancient grains like spelt, this may be the recipe for you.

Why Spelt?

Spelt grain is a specific type of grain in the wheat family which also includes varieties like einkorn, kamut, and emmer. Often called ancient or heirloom, these grains have their origins in ancient times. Cultivated in the Near East, Asia, and Europe they date back as far as several centuries B.C., and are still mainly cultivated in European countries, but also commercially in the United States. Ancient grains, like spelt, are less modified and more nutritious, boasting higher protein content that modern varieties.

---

Spelt Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 4-6 banans
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups 100% whole wheat fresh milled spelt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• milk or whey

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

To begin, peel and smash 4-6 bananas in a medium bowl. I like to use a fork or a pastry blender to get uniform texture. They don’t need to be all mush, but smaller pieces are better. I don’t measure for a specific number of cups. I just use the bananas I have on hand. Please note, the bowl pictured below contains enough bananas for a double batch.

Then, in a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Add in bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Stir to combine.

Add flour, soda, and salt to the mixer bowl. Stir until combined.

Don’t get mad at me, but I almost never sift my dry ingredients together. I don’t see the need too dirty another bowl, but if you’d like to include that step, but all means go ahead.

Finally, thin out the batter as needed. You want it to be thin enough to be pourable, and somewhat self leveling, but not runny.

You may have play around with the consistency to find your sweet spot. Since the number of bananas and the hydration in the flour may vary (whether you use fresh milled, premilled, or all purpose flour) the extra liquid lets you adjust as needed. I’ve used only milk or whey in the last step, but I would assume you can use buttermilk too.

Pour into a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan lined with parchment.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours . Remove when the crust is golden and the bread is set (check by inserting a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean).

Allow to cool on a rack or trivet.

Store in an airtight container. Best if used within 2-3 days.

Can I Freeze this Bread?

Yes! I wrap mine in plastic wrap or place in a plastic ziploc bag and freeze for up to six months. (Although it never lasts more than a few weeks in the freezer around here.)

---

See the Spelt Banana Bread Being Made

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Life On Knoll 22 (@lifeonknoll22)