In this recipe, I’ve used the Americanised “cup” measurement but don’t panic if you don’t own a set of those – just use a standard small mug or coffee cup. It’s actually so much easier than measuring down to the last gram on scales!
Ingredients:
1 x 100gms stick of butter, soft
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 ripe (but not black) small bananas, mashed
1/2 cup sour cream or natural yogurt
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of sofa
1 teaspoon Mixed Spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts or pecans work well – or use a mix! Whatever you have mooching around in the larder)
Method:
Mix together the wet ingredients separately, that is, the eggs, the yogurt, the vanilla and the oil using an electric whisk, then slowly add the banana mush.
Now in a separate bowl, crumble together the butter and flour and then mix together the remaining dry ingredients - the sugars, baking soda and powder, salt and mixed spice. It should be a crumbly spice-specked mixture.
Gradually pour the wet into the dry and fold together with a spatula until you have a thick batter then stir in the chopped nuts.
Pour this lovely fragrant banana-ey goo into a greased and lined loaf pan. I pour about a tablespoon of vegetable oil into the pan, then with kitchen paper smear the oil all up the sides, then cut out a bespoke loaf pan shaped strip of baking parchment which sticks nicely to the oil.
This way you won’t have the devastating issue of a gorgeous cake stuck inside your tin Bake at 180 degrees for 1 hour. If the top looks like it’s getting a bit dark, cover loosely with foil but don’t cut down the baking time. Insert a skewer after an hour – it should come out clean and crumby. If there’s any hint of goo, put it back for another 5 – 10 mins.
Turn out and serve sliced thickly – this is more of a sweet loaf than a cake so is a lovely breakfast treat.
By Camilla Hajek
Click here and visit Camilla's world of baking.
