Banana Gingerbread Loaf

Banana Gingerbread Loaf Recipe

Ingredients

50g demerara sugar

1 egg   

1 ripe banana (mashed)

250g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground star anise

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon   

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

100ml milk

50g melted unsalted butter (plus 5g of cold unsalted butter for greasing)

200g honey (heated)

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC). Grease and flour (with the 5g cold butter and extra flour for dusting) a loaf tin. Alternatively you can grease the tin and line it with greaseproof baking paper.

2. Sieve the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spices into a large bowl.

3. In another large baking bowl, add the sugar and egg and beat well together with a whisk. Stir in the mashed banana, then the milk and melted butter.

4. Fold in the flour and spices mix with a wooden spoon by adding it a bit at a time. Pour in the heated honey and mix well until you get a smooth, thick batter. If you are worried about flour lumps, you can strain the batter into another bowl.

5. Pour the batter into the greased and floured (or lined) loaf tin and place on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 40 minutes (I use a conventional electric oven so temperature and time may vary with a fan oven) until the loaf is golden and cooked through (you can check by inserting a skewer or thin knife blade, it should come out clean).

6. Let the loaf cool down for 5/10 minutes in its tin and then carefully turn it onto a wire rack and let it finish cooling down. To store it, wrap it with aluminium foil and put in an airtight container, it will keep for a week.

I serve the banana gingerbread loaf cold and cut in slices. It can be delicious for breakfast or with an afternoon cup of tea when served toasted and buttered lightly or with a bit of hazelnut chocolate spread (like I often do).

Note: the quality of the honey you choose for this recipe can really make a difference in the flavour, especially with a delicious floral honey.

Bon appétit!