It must be a toss-up whether a loaf of bread or a banana loaf is the most baked thing since lockdown began.
I reckon it must be the banana loaf, due to its ease of making, and the feel-good factor it gives.
The only problem I’ve found when making a banana loaf, are the bananas themselves.
Should they be yellow, spotty or completely black?
Normally, ripe or over-ripe fruit are the ones to
use for a more pronounced banana flavour, but it’s always been hit and miss for me using ripe bananas.
And my life always seem too short to wait for a ‘nana to ripen.
I like to make a banana loaf when I fancy one,
and not just when I have a bunch of bananas I’ve forgotten about!
Most bakers know how to make a banana loaf, but one tip I’ve found that consistently works for me is to freeze the fruit first.
No need to interminably wait until they ripen on their stand, continuously wafting away the fruit flies. Just pop them in the freezer, and take them out to thaw the day you get the urge
for a slice of banana loaf.
The bananas will have turned black and gone a
bit mushy, but that’s fine. Just peel as normal and scoop the fruit out into a bowl. The insides will
still be nice and pale yellow.
But you do get an intense flavour from the freezing process, more than I have ever achieved from a normally ripened banana. Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS
I reckon it must be the banana loaf, due to its ease of making, and the feel-good factor it gives.
The only problem I’ve found when making a banana loaf, are the bananas themselves.
Should they be yellow, spotty or completely black?
Normally, ripe or over-ripe fruit are the ones to
use for a more pronounced banana flavour, but it’s always been hit and miss for me using ripe bananas.
And my life always seem too short to wait for a ‘nana to ripen.
I like to make a banana loaf when I fancy one,
and not just when I have a bunch of bananas I’ve forgotten about!
Most bakers know how to make a banana loaf, but one tip I’ve found that consistently works for me is to freeze the fruit first.
No need to interminably wait until they ripen on their stand, continuously wafting away the fruit flies. Just pop them in the freezer, and take them out to thaw the day you get the urge
for a slice of banana loaf.
The bananas will have turned black and gone a
bit mushy, but that’s fine. Just peel as normal and scoop the fruit out into a bowl. The insides will
still be nice and pale yellow.
But you do get an intense flavour from the freezing process, more than I have ever achieved from a normally ripened banana. Give it a try.
INGREDIENTS
- 350g bananas, peeled weight (about 3 large bananas, defrosted from freezer)
- 180g plain flour
- 2½ tsp baking powder
- 160g soft, light brown sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 4 tbsp melted butter (salted), cooled
METHOD
Heat oven to 170℃/160℃ fan.
Put the banana flesh into a bowl and roughly mash with a fork.
In another bowl, sift in the flour and baking powder.
Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin (mine was 21 x 9 x 7cm).
Put the sugar, eggs and melted butter into the bowl of an electric mixer, and whisk until pale and a little increased in volume.
Fold in the dry ingredients and the roughly mashed banana until you can no longer see any streaks of flour.
(If you like nuts in your banana loaf, now is the time to fold through about 50g of roughly chopped walnuts or pecans).
Spoon into your prepared loaf tin, and bake for about an hour, or until a skewer comes out clean.
Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove onto a rack to completely cool.
Heat oven to 170℃/160℃ fan.
Put the banana flesh into a bowl and roughly mash with a fork.
In another bowl, sift in the flour and baking powder.
Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin (mine was 21 x 9 x 7cm).
Put the sugar, eggs and melted butter into the bowl of an electric mixer, and whisk until pale and a little increased in volume.
Fold in the dry ingredients and the roughly mashed banana until you can no longer see any streaks of flour.
(If you like nuts in your banana loaf, now is the time to fold through about 50g of roughly chopped walnuts or pecans).
Spoon into your prepared loaf tin, and bake for about an hour, or until a skewer comes out clean.
Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove onto a rack to completely cool.