Manky banana alert – why can’t we ever get through the damned things? No matter how green they are when I buy them they ripen in an instant – infuriating. Well only slightly coz it’s always an excuse to bake a cake with them.
I’d put a recipe for Banana and Date loaf from Sian over at Fishfingers For Tea in my must bake folder but never got around to buying any dates. Instead I fished a very old packet of sultanas out of the baking cupboard, and also some remnants of ground almonds.
What I especially like about this recipe is the use of melted butter and dark brown sugar – it results in a moist and treacley sponge that is super delicious eaten when it’s still warm. It’d also be fabulous with a big splodge of custard on it. And if it lasts that long you could freeze slices down and put them in the kids’ lunchboxes.
Doesn't look that special, but it smells and tastes DIVINE
Banana, sultana and almond loaf
adapted from Fishfingers for tea recipe
125g butter, melted
150g dark brown soft sugar
2 large eggs
3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
100g sultanas
125g plain flour
50g ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and line a 2lb loaf tin.
- Mix the melted butter and sugar in a bowl, add the eggs one at a time, beating well to incorporate.
- Add the mashed bananas and sultanas. Thoroughly mix in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
- Pour into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 1-1 ¼ hours, until it is risen, golden and a sharp knife comes out clean.
- Leave in its tin for 10 minutes and then finish cooling on a wire rack. Slice and serve. Freezes well.
I’m staring at a bunch of over-ripe bananas my crew are turning up their noses at. This will do them nicely for tea-time, thanks!
I love the idea of the addition of ground almonds. I don’t think any banana bread will ever win a prize in a beauty contest but they more than make up for it in taste and pure comfort!