Banana bread

A gorgeous afternoon tea treat

Banana bread

Serves Serves 12
Time Cooks In1 hour 15 minutes plus cooling
DifficultySuper easy
Nutrition per serving Plus
  • Calories 230 12%
  • Fat 12.7g 18%
  • Saturates 5.6g 28%
  • Sugars 9.5g 11%
  • Salt 0.2g 3%
  • Protein 4g 8%
  • Carbs 26.7g 10%
  • Fibre 1.3g -
Of an adult's reference intake
The Kitchen Garden Project
recipe adapted from

The Kitchen Garden Project

By Jamie Oliver
Tap For Method

Ingredients

  • 125 g unsalted butter , plus extra for greasing (at room temperature)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 ripe bananas
  • 2 tablespoons runny honey
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened apple juice
  • 250 g self-raising flour , plus extra for dusting
  • 1 big pinch of ground cinnamon
  • 50 g pecans , optional
Tap For Method

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The Kitchen Garden Project
recipe adapted from

The Kitchen Garden Project

By Jamie Oliver
Tap For Ingredients

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
  2. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 1-litre loaf tin with a little butter – I use a folded-up piece of kitchen paper to do this.
  3. In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to beat the soft butter until creamy.
  4. Crack in the eggs and beat them with the butter. It might look a little lumpy but don’t worry, it will come back together later.
  5. Peel 3 of the bananas, then mash and smush them into the mix with a fork so you’ve got a mixture of smooth and chunky.
  6. Stir in the honey and the apple juice, then use a spatula to fold in the flour and cinnamon, taking care not to over mix.
  7. If using, chop the pecans on a chopping board using the cross-chop method (or you could bash them with a rolling pin), then fold them through the mixture.
  8. Spoon all the mixture into the loaf tin, then peel and slice the remaining banana and poke into the top. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. To check if it’s done, stick a cocktail stick or skewer into the middle of the loaf, remove it after 5 seconds and if it comes out clean the loaf’s cooked; if it’s slightly sticky it needs a bit longer.
  9. Allow the loaf to cool slightly, then carefully turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Transfer to a nice plate, cut into slices, then serve. It’s delicious spread with butter, honey, your favourite jam or even chocolate spread. Have fun!

Tips

This works best with super-ripe bananas, so use up any that you’ve got at home. You can also freeze overripe bananas and when you have enough, they will defrost in an hour or so, ready to bake into a cake!

EASY SWAPS:
Instead of the pecans, you could try chopped peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, dried fruit or chocolate, or a sprinkling of chocolate chips – reduce food waste by using up what you have in the cupboard.

COOKING WITH KIDS:
Jamie wholeheartedly believes that cooking is up there as one of the most valuable skills you can teach a child. Getting kids excited about food, where it comes from and how to cook it, gives them a better chance of being healthier and happier in the long run. When cooking with kids, use your common sense to determine what jobs they can help you with, depending on their age and skill level. It’s always good to start small, with jobs such as mixing and measuring, then progress to elements of a recipe, then go on to slightly trickier techniques over time. The more they cook, the better they’ll get. Make sure you supervise them when using heat or sharp utensils like knives and box graters, and teach them about the importance of washing their hands before they start, and after handling raw meat and fish, as well as other basic hygiene rules. Most of all, have fun with it, and encourage them to give things a go.

FAQs

Can you freeze banana bread?

Yes, absolutely! Banana bread can be frozen once it’s completely cooled, and it will keep for up to three months. If you’re freezing individual slices, wrap them in greaseproof or beeswax paper before putting them in an airtight container or a ziplock bag. If you’re freezing a whole loaf, wrap it in greaseproof and then again in foil, or pop it into a large resealable bag.

How long does banana bread last in the fridge?

Homemade banana bread will last up to one week in the fridge (or 60 seconds with kids about!). Just make sure you wrap it in greaseproof or beeswax paper or store it in an airtight container so it doesn’t dry out.

Can bananas ever be too ripe to use in banana bread?

Not at all – in fact, the riper and darker the banana, the better! However, if your bananas are mouldy or have an off-putting smell, then we’d avoid, as they aren’t safe to use.
The Kitchen Garden Project
recipe adapted from

The Kitchen Garden Project

By Jamie Oliver