GFDF Banana Bread

I am experimenting with cooking with honey instead of sugar. The process has been quite slow, but I wanted to share my banana bread comparison with you. I recently purchased 3 different raw, unfiltered honeys from local beekeepers. I used the honey from Fruitland, WA for this recipe (I think it's less sweet than the other ones).

Banana Bread recipe
*from Glutenfreehub

• 1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour Mix
• 1 cup sugar (I prefer organic evaporated cane sugar) or 1/2 cup honey
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) Earth Balance margarine, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 3 ripe bananas, peeled
• 1 1/2 Tbsp hemp milk (or non-dairy milk of your choice)
• 1 tsp vanilla (1/2 tsp extract flavoring of your choice)
  
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
  

Mix sugar and Earth Balance with mixer until creamed and fluffy. Mix in eggs, one at a time. In a separate bowl, mash bananas and stir in milk, cinnamon and vanilla. Add banana mixture to creamed mixture and combine with mixer. Combine remaining dry ingredients. Slowly stir into wet mixture until flour disappears.

For muffins: grease muffin tins; 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes
Regular loaf: grease loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes
Mini-loaf: grease 3 mini-loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes.
*Use toothpick to test for doneness. When done, let cool for 5 minutes and remove from pans. Allow to completely cool before wrapping. I use a piece of parchment paper under loaf and then wrap in aluminum foil. Enjoy!

I made one batch with organic sugar and a second batch with honey.
There is a difference in the batters. Sugar above and honey below prior to baking.

Baked in the oven at the same time, the sugar recipe has a darker finish to the bread (on the right), whereas the honey loaf is lighter and more golden (on the left).

The honey loaf had a more golden look to the bread (on left), while the sugar loaf was a more uniform color (on right).

As for the taste comparison...the sugar loaf had a brighter banana flavor and the honey loaf was moister. Personal preference was the sugar loaf in overall flavor. Perhaps a slight increase in the amount of banana and slighty less honey would achieve the flavor I'm seeking... Also, a different honey would produce a different outcome, as no two honeys taste the same.

Guess I'll have to keep experimenting. I love banana bread!