Banana Bread
Banana bread is the best rescue for bananas that have turned black and that nobody wants to eat. The darker the skins, the sweeter and more fragrant the loaf, so we actually wait for them to go spotty on purpose. The batter is stirred together in one bowl with a fork, and the hands-on work takes about fifteen minutes.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 h
- Rest
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 h 55 min
- Servings
- 10
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 310 kcal
Ingredients
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What to use instead
White sugar can replace the brown, though the flavour will be less caramel-like and the crust paler.
Makes: 1 loaf, 22 × 11 cm, 10 slices
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Method
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Step 1: Prepare the tin
Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Butter a 22 × 11 cm (2 lb) loaf tin and line it with baking paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides to lift the loaf out.
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Step 2: Mash the bananas
In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until almost smooth; a few small lumps only add flavour. Pour in the melted butter and stir.
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Step 3: Add sugar and eggs
Stir in the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until combined. Sprinkle the baking soda, salt and cinnamon over the top and mix well so the soda is evenly spread.
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Step 4: Fold in the flour
Tip in the flour and fold with a spatula just until no dry patches remain, then fold in the walnuts. The batter should be thick, like sour cream, and doesn't need to be perfectly smooth.
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Step 5: Bake the loaf
Scrape into the tin, level and bake for 55–65 minutes. If the top is already dark after 40 minutes, cover it loosely with foil. It's done when risen and cracked on top, and a skewer from the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
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Step 6: Cool before slicing
Leave in the tin for 10 minutes, lift out by the paper and cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes; sliced hot, it crumbles.
Tips & variations
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Tip
Bananas not ripe enough? Bake them in their skins at 150°C (300°F) for 15–20 minutes until the skins turn black, then cool.
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Variation
Swap the walnuts for 100 g chopped dark chocolate, or lay thin banana slices over the top before baking.
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Swap
White sugar can replace the brown, though the flavour will be less caramel-like and the crust paler.
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Storage
Wrap the cooled loaf in cling film and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Slices freeze well for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 10 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 310 kcal | 3,100 kcal |
| Protein | 5 g | 50 g |
| Fat | 15 g | 150 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g | 400 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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