It’s the can’t-flop bread that we won’t stop baking. Banana bread is still a firm favourite and a recipe everyone needs on file.

Simple steps to success for beginners: 

• Room temperature eggs are best for baking 
• Whisking sugar and eggs is an important step that you don’t want to rush! You’re both aerating the mixture and melting sugar (using friction). Both are essential for a well-risen bread that isn’t dense in texture. You’ll know the mixture is ready once it is pale in colour, three times the volume and free from sugar granules. 
• Always add wet ingredients into the bowl with flour (or dry ingredients), to avoid flour pockets forming in your batter. 
• Using a handheld or electrical whisk, rather than a spoon, will ensure that there are no flour lumps in the batter. 
• For a sugar-free bread, swap sugar for xylitol (plant-based sweetener that looks like sugar crystals). 
• Don’t be tempted to take the bread out of the tin immediately, as the residual heat will ensure your bread is cooked to the centre. (Because this bread doesn’t have a crisp crust, you don’t have to be worried that it will soften or sweat in the tin.)

Basic banana bread 

Makes 2 small-medium loaves 

You can use a bigger loaf tin, making a single bread, and bake it 5-10 minutes longer. We strongly suggest adding a pinch of cinnamon for warmth and depth in taste.  

Ingredients 

4-5 (about 220g) large ripe to overripe bananas, peeled 
2 eggs, whisked cup (135g) brown (or white) sugar 
¼ cup (60ml) melted butter or canola oil 
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence 
½ tsp (3ml) fine salt 
1 tsp (5ml) baking powder 
2 cups (about 300g) cake or wholewheat flour  

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Spray two 18x10cm bread tins with non-stick spray and lined with baking paper. 
3. Mash banana very finely with a fork or masher. 
4. Whisk egg and sugar together for 3-5 minutes until tripled in volume. 
5. Add banana, butter or oil, vanilla and salt to the egg mixture and mix to combine evenly.
6. 6. Sift together baking powder and flour into a bowl and create a well in the middle. 
7. Pour egg mixture into the well and whisk to create a smooth batter.
8. Spoon batter into the prepared tins. 
9. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of bread comes out clean.
10. Remove and cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then take out of the tin and allow to cool completely. 
11. Serve within 3 days, or store in the fridge and toast.

 Also read: Sticky banana pudding

3-ingredient banana bread  

Makes 1 medium-large loaf 

To decorate the bread, halve a banana lengthways and place on top of the bread, lightly pushing it into the batter, before baking.  

Ingredients 

5 overripe bananas, peeled 
1 can (385g) condensed milk 
2½ cups (375g) flour, sifted 
Pinch of salt 

Method 

1. Mash the bananas finely with a fork or masher. 
2. Add condensed milk and whisk to combine well. Add a pinch of salt if you like. 
3. Add banana mixture to flour, whisking until smooth. 
4. Pour batter into 22x12cm bread tin that is sprayed with non-stick spray and lined with baking paper. 
5. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of bread comes out clean.
6. Remove and cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then take it out of the tin and allow to cool completely.

There’s more to explore! 

Banana bread is naturally sweet, so why not turn it into a tea loaf. Think of it as cake in a bread tin! 

Salted caramel banana bread:  

Prepare batter as per basic recipe. 
Combine cup (160ml) caramel, 2 Tbsp (30ml) hot water and ½ tsp (3ml) salt flakes. 
Mix half the caramel mixture into batter. 
Spoon batter into tins and marble through remaining caramel. 
Sprinkle with salt flakes and bake for 50-60 minutes. Serve with extra runny caramel, if you like.   

Chocolate chip banana bread:  

Prepare batter as per basic recipe, add ¼ cup (30g) sifted cocoa, and 1 large slab (150g) of chopped dark chocolate to the dry ingredients, before adding in the banana mixture. Proceed to bake as per recipe. 

Don’t have overripe bananas? 

If there’s no so , overripe bananas handy, simply use a stick blender to easily turn firmer bananas into mash or purée. Will it make a difference in the baked result? A firmer, fresher banana will result in bread that is slightly less sweet and ever-so-slightly denser in texture. 

Recipes And Styling: Liezl Vermeulen  
Photographs: Zahnn Solomons 

Also read: Classic banana bread

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