Banana Bread

I have made this recipe probably more than any other recipe in my baking repertoire! Safe to say, it has been thoroughly tested!

RECIPE NOTES: Use granulated white sugar if you don’t have brown sugar. If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can use plain/all-purpose flour (cake wheat flour in South Africa) with baking powder (2 teaspoons/10ml baking powder for every 1 cup/150g of flour).

Makes one medium loaf - about 10 slices

BANANA LOAF BATTER

bananas (ripe/overripe), 2 large (about 300g banana flesh after peeling)

eggs, 2

sugar (brown), 110g (125ml or 1/2 cup)

milk (full fat), 60g (60ml or 1/4 cup)

oil, 80ml (1/3 cup) - a neutral flavour oil works well

self-raising flour, 225g (375ml or 1 + 1/2 cup)

bicarbonate of soda/baking soda, 1.25ml (1/4 teaspoon)

salt (fine), 1.25ml (1/4 teaspoon)

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS

oats (wholegrain), about 25g (1/4 cup)

1. To start, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and grease or line (with baking paper) a medium-size loaf tin.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas (2 large or 300g banana flesh after peeling) with a fork.

3. Add the wet ingredients (2 eggs, 60g/¼ cup milk, 80ml/⅓ cup oil) including the brown sugar (110g/½ cup). Mix until uniform.

4. Add the dry ingredients (225g/1 + ½ cup self-raising flour, 1.25ml/¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda/baking soda, 1.25ml/¼ teaspoon fine salt), then gently mix together until just combined.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin.

6. Top with a handful of oats (if using).

7. Bake for approximately 30 - 45 minutes (or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean).

Delicious warm out of the oven but will keep for a couple of days stored in an airtight container at room temperature (or freezer for up to three months).