A Simple Banana Loaf

I'm going to kick off my blog with a really simple, yet really tasty recipe. It is one of my favourites to rustle up in the nick of time as it is so quick and easy to prepare, with minimal mess! What I love about this banana loaf is that it light, yet filling. Whether you are having it for a snack, dessert, or you are having friends over, you can be sure nobody will be left with rumbling bellies.

Ingredients

2 eggs

2 ripe bananas

100g softened butter

175g caster sugar

225g self raising flour

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp baking powder

Optional topping:

(I did not do this, but I have talked you through it still)

A handful of walnuts

50g Icing sugar

2-3 tsp water

First things first, get the oven on to 180◦C (160◦C fan/gas 4). Next, take your standard sized loaf tin (2lb/900g), and lightly grease it. I always take a piece of kitchen roll, wipe it on some butter, and then use this to grease the tin. I find it works really well and gives good coverage. I know some people prefer to use loaf tin liners, or lining the tin themselves with baking paper, but I have never done this - if the tin is well greased, the loaf should come out easy. However, feel free to do whichever you prefer.

If you are going to be giving your arm muscles a work out and will  be mixing by hand, then mash the ripe bananas in a large bowl. If they are ripe enough, this should  be easy to do. If you are slightly struggling, the bananas are probably not ripe enough - this isn't the end of the world, so keep mashing! If you have an electric whisk, just break the bananas up into a large mixing bowl as I have done below. Measure and add in all of the remaining ingredients. 

Now for the mixing! If using an electric whisk, beat for about 2 minutes. If by hand, mix until all ingredients are well blended.

Pour or spoon the mixture into your loaf tin, using a spatula to get every last bit of mixture out. Ensure it is levelled out - it should be about 1-2 cm from the top of the tin. Place onto the top shelf of your oven, for an hour. After about 20 minutes, the loaf should have risen a substantial amount, but do not open the door, until at least 50 minutes to check on it. I have never had a banana loaf ready before 55 minutes. Even if it looks ready before this, it probably will not be cooked inside. Loaves are deep and therefore take longer than you think to cook throughout. Only bring the loaf out of the oven when it is well risen and golden brown.  

To check that your loaf is cooked throughout, using a cake tester, skewer, a small sharp knife, or something similar, slowly push it down into the deepest part of the loaf and withdraw it. It should come out clean - if there is still wet mixture on it, your loaf is not ready, so it will need to go back in the oven for a little bit! Once your loaf is ready, leave it in the tin for a couple of minutes, then ease a knife gently around the edge and your loaf should ease out. You may have to tip it sideways for it to slip out - that's fine, it should be quite sturdy. Allow to cool on a cooling rack for as long as necessary. For the same reason it takes a while to cook, it takes a while to cool.

I prefer my banana loaf just as it is without anything on top. It really is tasty enough to not need anything on top, although if you have a sweet tooth, you could always drizzle some glace icing over the top [optional topping as in ingredient list]. Start with the icing sugar in a bowl, and add water teaspoon by teaspoon, as it is so easy to add too much water. Once it is as runny as you want it, drizzle it over the loaf. To top it off, chop up your walnuts and sprinkle them over the icing.

One way to make a cold winters night more enjoyable is to curl up on the sofa under a blanket with a slice of banana loaf, a cup of tea and a good movie/trashy tv - whichever floats your boat! Lately I have been into wildlife documentaries. Easy to watch, yet so informative and interesting!

 If you decide to give this banana loaf a go for your first time, I really hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Let me know what toppings you guys like to put on your banana loaves - maybe I can be converted from leaving mine without anything on top!