Blue Ribbon Group No-Sugar Gourmet Banana Bread
Minnesota State Fair - Splenda Magic Baker Winning Recipe
This award-winning No-Sugar Gourmet Banana Bread took 1st place at the 2022 Minnesota State Fair. The Splenda Magic Baker “Low-To-No Sugar Showdown” recipe contest was new this year. It called for quick and delicious quick breads.
This blue ribbon winning bread comes from Gina Walker, who won $200 and some bigtime bragging rights.
Gina had never before competed in a recipe contest or at the State Fair. Gina was cheered on by a good friend who has diabetes. In fact, Gina says she never would have entered without her friend’s encouragement.
Baking Tips
Here are some great tips about this recipe:
- Make sure you bananas are overly ripe, fragrant and flavorful. Gina likes to tuck hers in a dark cupboard until they’re blackened. She often freezes mashed portions of them to have on hand throughout the year
- Also, don’t skip the coconut extract or orange juice.
- And don’t be scared of the amount of baking powder the recipe calls for: 1 1/2 tablespoons. No, it is not a typo.
We have made this no-sugar gourmet banana bread numerous times and can attest to it’s deliciousness. For some reason, because of how all the ingredients work together, this bread comes out tasting fantastic every time.
The most recent time we baked it, we made mini loaves and added shredded unsweetened coconut. YUM! They make great gifts for friends and freeze well. And with a smear of peanut butter, a slice is even more magical, if that is possible!
Enjoy!
-Cyndi
Gina’s No-Sugar Gourmet Banana Bread
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups Splenda Magic Baker
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 1/4 cup bananas (overripe, mashed)
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups flour
Place baking rack second shelf from the bottom. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Mix butter, oil, Splenda, egg, vanilla, coconut extract, orange juice, and bananas together; set aside. Mix all dry ingredients together (baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and flour). Add pecans and chocolate chips. Add dry mixture to banana mixture; mix well. Spray two loaf pans (8” x 3” x 2“). Fill 2/3 of the way. Bake slowly, at least 40 minutes. Do not open the oven while baking. Then begin to check with a toothpick every few minutes to make sure bread is done in the middle. (Adjust baking time as needed for varying pan sizes/types.) Allow to cool 10 minutes in pan and slightly once out of pan before slicing. Makes approximately 24 servings.
