I have a problem with bananas. The problem is that I buy them, forget about them and then I’m compelled to bake with them. Yeah, I know, the epitome of firstworldproblems.
This started off as a banana loaf cake idea and then the Green & Black’s cocoa fell out of the cupboard (I really should tidy up more) and it seemed worth trying. Then it turned into pantry cake when I started pulling more things out of the press, including cherries and walnuts. The cherries melt a little like dates and led to the tasters asking if there was booze in there. Not this time….
Makes a 1lb loaf. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4, 180c.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- 35g of slightly salted, very soft butter
- 50g demerera sugar
- 50g soft brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 50g walnuts, chopped
- 50g cherries, chopped (the natural ones)
- 50g chopped dark 70% chocolate
- ½ tsp good vanilla extract
- 75g wholemeal flour
- 30g cocoa powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Method
- Mash the bananas and butter together
- Add in the egg, vanilla, sugar, cherries, chopped chocolate and walnuts and mix together
- Sift the flour, cocoa, bicarb and salt together and add into wet ingredients
- Cook in a lined loaf tin for about 45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean
Improves over a day or two too.