Best Banana Bread Ever
*Updated Version* This loaf cake has been a recipe in the making for years. It’s taken lots of bananas, lots of butter and most importantly lots of taste testers to get this recipe right.
The key, like most banana bread’s is to use very ripe bananas. We like them almost black- peel and stick them in your freezer if you can’t stand the smell, simply defrost before use.
PHOTOGRAPHY: SUECH AND BECK
Ingredients
3/4 cup (1.5 sticks or 160g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2/3 cup (150g) lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (55g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
5 very ripe bananas (340g mashed, one whole)
1[-= Tsp lemon juice
1/2 Tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup (70g) plain Greek yoghurt
2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting*
1 Tsp baking soda
1 Tsp baking powder
¼ Tsp salt
1 Tsp cinnamon
½ cup chopped walnuts or dark chocolate chips
1 Tbsp Demerara or Cane sugar
Method
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a deep 900g (9x5”) loaf tin and line with parchment paper. You could also divide this into smaller loaf tins.
2. In a large bowl, whisk butter and sugars until pale in colour, about 2 minutes. Add egg and whisk well to combine.
3. In a separate bowl, mash 4 bananas well with lemon juice and vanilla. Stir through yoghurt. Add banana mixture to egg mixture, mixing well.
4. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together then fold into the wet ingredients. Fold through toasted nuts or chocolate chips.
6. Scrape mixture into a loaf tin. Slice remaining banana lengthways and lay on top. Sprinkle with sugar and bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean about 45-55 minutes. It will feel soft as there is a lot of banana in it. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before you cut in!
*If you’re using cups, be sure to do the spoon and scoop method to make sure you don’t add too much flour
** if its too much batter for your standard loaf tin, fill the tin leaving about a cm from the top, do not overfill.or the loaf will not bake properly and will spill over the tin