Traditional banana bread has been given a new lease on life with this crunchy, spiced topping.

Banana bread with spiced streusel

Makes 1 X 22cm loaf

Ingredients

½ cup (125ml) butter, softened cup (160ml) dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
4 overripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp (10ml) vanilla extract cup (160ml) sour cream
2 cups (500ml) flour
Pinch of salt
1 tsp (5ml) baking powder
½ tsp (2.5ml) bicarbonate of soda
¼ cup (60g) butter, softened
5 Tbsp (75ml) flour 
⅓ cup (80ml) brown sugar
1 tsp (5ml) cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
1 banana + 1 extra for topping
Honey, to serve 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line a 22x15cm loaf tin with baking paper and spray with nonstick spray.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one by one and whisk on a high speed for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the banana, vanilla and sour cream. Mix well.
5. In a different bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
6. Combine the dry ingredients with the banana mixture and mix well.
7. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin.
8. To make the streusel topping, rub together the remaining butter, flour, sugar and spices.
9. Halve banana lengthwise and place on the batter, pressing down lightly.
10. Sprinkle over the streusel mixture and bake for about 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean.
11. Drizzle with honey and serve sliced.

By: Lichelle May
Photography by: Zhann Solomons
Text courtesy of MyKitchen magazine

Also read: Peanut porridge with brûléed banana  

The post Banana bread with spiced streusel  appeared first on MyKitchen.

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

The post Can’t-flop banana bread appeared first on MyKitchen.

If there’s one baked treat that never goes out of style, it’s classic banana bread. And the best part is that it’s one of the easiest things ever to prepare. Here’s how!

SERVES 6-8 / PREP TIME 15 min / COOK TIME 1 hour   

INGREDIENTS
½ cup butter, at room temperature
1¼ cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tbsp yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla essence
6 ripe bananas, mashed
2½ cups flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp baking powder
⅓ cup chopped pecans

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 15 × 25 cm loaf tin.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy.
3. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, yoghurt, vanilla and banana together.
4. Sift the flour, salt, bicarb and baking powder together.
5. Add the egg mixture, alternating with the dry ingredients, into the butter, until well combined. Stir through the pecans.
6. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely before removing from the tin.

If you love banana bread, you’ll really love these banana bread waffles!

The post Classic banana bread appeared first on MyKitchen.

While we all have a classic banana bread family recipe at home, it’s just one flavour we can’t get enough of. The banana bread craze that has come about as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown has inspired us to get creative and take this baked goodie to new heights. Here are 5 recipes you need to try right now:

1. BUT FIRST, CLASSIC BANANA BREAD

2. RAW BANANA BREAD GRANOLA

3. BANANA BREAD FRENCH TOAST

4. BANANA BREAD WAFFLES

5. SUGAR-FREE BANANA BREAD

The post We transformed banana bread, and it’s delicious! appeared first on MyKitchen.

Freesweet is a sugar replacement unlike any other. It’s carb-free, contains no artificial ingredients, tastes absolutely delicious and bakes beautifully. Don’t believe us? Try it out for yourself in this decadent chocolate chip sugar-free banana bread.

MAKES 1 loaf // PREP TIME 10 min // COOK TIME 50 min

INGREDIENTS
80 g almond butter
50 g apple sauce
25 g melted coconut oil
2 tsp Freesweet
3 eggs
4 bananas, mashed
70 g coconut flour
Sugar-free chocolate, chopped (measure with your heart)
Pinch salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a loaf tin.
2. Add the almond butter, apple sauce, coconut oil and Freesweet to the mashed bananas and mix until combined.
3. Add the coconut flour, chocolate, salt, cinnamon and baking powder. Mix well.
4. Top with extra chocolate and banana if desired and bake for 15 minutes, until a knife comes out clean.

The post Sugar-free banana bread with chocolate chips appeared first on MyKitchen.

This banana bread breakfast rawnola has that raw power and is the perfect healthy start to the day. Add some protein powder for an extra pow!

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 20 min

INGREDIENTS
1 banana
1 tbsp cinnamon
5 tbsp water
¼ tsp salt
4 cups oats
¼ cup pecan nuts, chopped
5 tbsp honey

METHOD
1. Blend the banana, cinnamon, water and salt.
2. Fold the banana mixture through the oats and pecans.
3. Drizzle in the honey and mix until clumps form.
4. Place in the fridge to set for 1 hour.
5. Serve with milk of your choice.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

The post Banana bread breakfast rawnola appeared first on MyKitchen.