Recipe

Our best banana bread

This banana bread is beautiful fresh from the oven but possibly even better toasted and slathered with butter. Decisions, decisions...

Jan 26, 2021 11:00pm
  • 15 mins preparation preparation
  • 1 hr cooking baking
  • Serves 8
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Ingredients

  • 125 gram (4oz) butter, softened
  • 1 cup (220g) firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups (400g) mashed ripe banana
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup
  • 1 2/3 cup (250g) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt flakes
  • 1/2 cup (25g) coarsely chopped roasted walnuts

Method

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F. Grease a 13cm x 26cm (5¼in x 10½in), 2-litre (8-cup) loaf pan; line with baking paper.
  • 2
    . Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until paler and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until just combined, then mashed banana and maple syrup.
  • 3
    Sift over flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt. Add walnuts; stir with a large spoon until combined. Spoon into pan; smooth the surface.
  • 4
    Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave in pan for 10 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto a wire rack to cool.

Notes

To make Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex's famous chocolate ginger banana bread, stir through 2 tablespoons of finely chopped crystallised ginger (or 1 to 2 teaspoons of ground ginger) and 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips into the batter before baking.

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