We recently did a Modern Mamas work trip to Austin and chowed down on the best gluten free banana bread I’ve ever eaten at a restaurant called Two Hands. Apparently they have a couple of locations, and Austin is one of them, and man, were we lucky to eat there not just once, but like FIVE TIMES. Yes, dinner, brunch, coffee, and all the other food related stops we could squeeze in there in our two day food sprint through Austin lol.

THIS BANANA BREAD YALL.

It was gluten free and it had the most incredible espresso mascarpone whipped topping with crunchy buckwheat sprinkles on top and I think I was EXACTLY like that scene from When Harry met Sally with the pie. That was me 100%. No, it wasn't just me it was all of us, and we aren’t ashamed to admit it.

So I did what I do when I fall in love with something, I immediately run home and try and recreate it. This banana bread is made in a sheet pan (the one at Two Hands didn’t have tall slices) and the espresso topping was made with cream cheese instead of mascarpone because our local little grocer didn’t have any mascarpone and that’s how I roll. I actually love the thin sliced sheet pan version of banana bread with the whipped topping because it truly is the perfect ratio of bread to frosting. Instead of crunchy buckwheat, I opted to use some crunchy maple cinnamon hemp clusters from Eaton Hemp that I’m trying out for a possible partnership because I had them on hand and I don’t have time to fry buckwheat. I’m not sure who does have time to fry tiny buckwheat kernels, except for maybe people who make baked goods for a living like those at Two Hands to which I say thank you for your service lol.

So here’s the deets, go make this for your mama or yourself or anyone who you want to make immediately happy.

Copycat Two Hands Gluten Free Espresso Banana Bread Copycat

Ingredients:

For banana bread

• 4 medium bananas, ripe

• 2 large eggs

• 3/4 cup almond flour

• 1/4 cup coconut flour

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 cup grass-fed butter, ghee, or coconut oil, melted (cooled)

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/4 tsp salt

For Espresso topping

• 8 oz block of room temp cream cheese

• 2 cups whipped cream of your choice (dairy free or full dairy)

• 1 tbsp decaf (or reg) instant coffee)

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

• Eaton Hemp Crunchy Maple Cinnamon Hemp Clusters (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. To prepare banana bread batter, combine bananas, eggs, melted butter (room temp), brown sugar and vanilla into a standing mixer (or use a hand mixer) and mix well on medium-high speed.

3. Slowly add in flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix well.

4. Grease an 8x8 baking pan, and pour banana bread mixture into pan.

5. Bake in oven for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. (Note, there will be some deep color on this banana bread)

6. While banana bread is baking, whip all ingredients for espresso topping except hemp clusters until light and fluffy. Store in the fridge until ready.

7. When banana bread is completely cooled, top with espresso topping and crunchy hemp clusters and enjoy!