For everyone Recipe: Fail-safe banana bread
I am such a big fan of banana bread that I have several versions I return to over and over, depending on available ingredients/dietary requirements.
They can be used to make a loaf or muffins.
And I’m a big advocate for baking paper or patty pans, because no one wants to be scrubbing baking tins at 11pm on a school night.
Version 1: the basic one
- 3 ripe bananas + extra for topping
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste (not essential)
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons of baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice… whatever you like)
Version 2: the ‘healthy’ one
- 3 or 4 mashed ripe bananas
- 3/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup of plain yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
- 2 cups SR flour (or plain + soda)
- Salt & spices (as above)
Version 3: the vegan/gluten-free one
- 3 or 4 mashed ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup Nuttelex or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1 cup brown sugar (or substitute)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups of gluten-free flour + gluten-free baking soda
- Salt & spices (as above)
METHOD
Preheat oven 180°C.
For all: Mash all the wet ingredients together then fold in the dry ones.
Add nuts, blueberries, dates, sesame seeds or choc-chips if you want to.
Pour into a lined and greased loaf or muffin tin.
Slice a banana or two in half and arrange on top.
Sprinkle brown sugar or maple syrup and sesame seeds or sunflower seeds on top if you like (not essential).
Bake till bouncy (about an hour).
