The Best Banana Bread

It seems right now everyone, everywhere is making banana bread. Everyday I see multiple banana breads on instagram and facebook. You might be fed up of seeing them or unsure what the fuss is about, but trust me, once you try this recipe the banana bread obsession will suddenly make a lot more sense. It’s super easy to make and when drizzled with melted dark chocolate feels like a really decadent cake to treat yourself with during these strange times.

The most important thing to get right when making a banana bread is to ensure that the banana’s being used are very ripe, and by very ripe I mean very brown, splodgey, unappetising bananas that have been left at the bottom of the fruit bowl. Banana cakes were made for these guys however sad and slightly gross they look.

The second most important thing is to allow the cake to cook properly. Because of the added banana to a cake mixture this makes the mix a bit denser and thus takes longer to cook than a normal sponge cake. Loaf tins are also quite deep which also makes the cooking process take a bit longer. Usually between 30 and 45 minutes is needed, depending on the oven.

This particular banana bread recipe is just the best and makes the world’s moistest cake (in my humble opinion). Time to jump on the banana bread bandwagon…

Ingredients:

• 140g butter, softened, plus extra for the tin

• 140g caster sugar

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 140g self-raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed

• 40g dark chocolate

Method

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

• Line a loaf tin with baking paper

• Cream 140g softened butter and 140g caster sugar until light and fluffy, then slowly add 2 beaten large eggs with a little of the 140g flour.

• Fold in the remaining flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 2 mashed bananas.

• Pour into the tin and bake for about 35- 40mins until a skewer comes out clean.

• Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then remove to a wire rack.

• Melt 40g dark chocolate in a microwave for about a minute, stopping at regular intervals to stir

• Drizzle the dark chocolate over the banana cak

• Enjoy!

Sophie x