Banana Bread Recipe

Banana Bread is one of my favourite things to bake – it’s so quick and easy to make and is absolutely delicious. It was one of the things I really craved when I was pregnant and at one point I think I was baking a loaf a day! Our recipe below includes Pecans but I sometimes use chopped dark chocolate instead. Or, why not make it really indulgent and use both!

Ingredients

For the cake:

● 200 g butter, plus extra for greasing the tin

● 400 g plain flour, plus extra for the tin

● 2 tsps baking powder

● 4 ripe bananas

● 75 ml maple syrup

● 25 – 50 ml milk (optional)

● 150 g caster sugar

● 4 large eggs

● 75 g. pecan nuts, roughly chopped

For the topping and icing (optional)

● 25g pecan nuts, roughly chopped

● 200 ml double cream

● 125 ml. maple syrup

Method

● Preheat your oven to 170 centigrade/150 fan/gas mark 3.

● Grease and flour a 23 cm. / 9 inch springform cake tin, loaf tin or put muffin cases into a muffin tin.

● Roughly chop the bananas. Pop into a blender and add the 75 ml. of maple syrup, blend to a smooth paste.

● In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar, until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, beating well between each addition.

● Next add the flour, baking powder, banana mix and nuts, carefully folding in. If the mixture seems a little stiff or sticky, add a little milk.

● Spoon the mixture into the tin/ muffin cases. If making the cake gently bang the tin on the work top a couple of times to level the mix. Scatter the nuts over the top.

● If making the cake, bake for 45 – 60 minutes, it is ready when golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. If making the muffins, have the temperature at 180 degrees and bake for 20 minutes.

● Once cooked leave the cake/ muffins for 10 minutes then turn onto a wire rack to cool. Topping

● Bring the cream and the maple syrup to the boil and continue to boil for 3 – 5 minutes, until the mixture has slightly thickened.

● Allow to go completely cold before icing the cake / muffins.

● Sprinkle chopped pecan nuts over the top of the icing.

● ENJOY!!