Banana bread

“Banana bread” is one of the most popular sweet breads in the United States. It has little to do with traditional bread – it is softer, more moist, and sweeter, and spices are often added to enhance its flavour. It’s essentially a sweet banana cake :). The fact that bananas are available year-round is a bonus. It’s quick to make, and instead of yeast, bicarbonate of soda is used. Many variations of this bread include dried fruit, spices, or nuts.

I will certainly return to this recipe on my blog more than once. This time, I’m sharing the simplest banana bread. It is soft and melts in the mouth – wonderfully banana-y!

Ingredients for banana bread:

• 3–4 ripe bananas (preferably overripe), mashed
• 75 g butter, melted
• ¾ cup caster sugar (or less)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• a pinch of salt

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

This recipe does not require a mixer. Mix the melted butter with the mashed bananas (mash them with a fork). Stir in the sugar, lightly beaten egg, and vanilla. Sift the plain flour and bicarbonate of soda directly into the bowl, add a pinch of salt, and mix with a fork or whisk until just combined.

Transfer the batter to a 10 × 20 cm loaf tin, greased with butter and dusted with plain flour, or lined with baking paper.

Bake at 170°C for about 50–60 minutes, or until the cake is golden on top and a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Enjoy!

Recipe source: simplyrecipes.com.