Banana Bread

Banana bread originated in America in the 1930s, when baking powder and baking-powder recipes became popular. It is a simple, sweet loaf that resembles cake and is ideal for using overripe bananas.

Serves: 6–8
Preparation: approx. 15 minutes
Cooking: 50–60 minutes
Total time: approx. 75 minutes

Ingredients

• 250 g flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 120 g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 150 g light brown soft sugar
• 2 eggs (size M)
• 3 overripe bananas (about 300 g without peel)
• 1 pinch of salt

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 175 °C (conventional: top and bottom heat).
• Lightly grease a loaf tin of about 25 cm and line the base with a strip of baking paper.
• Melt the butter over a low heat or in the microwave, then let it cool slightly.
• Beat the eggs in a small bowl with a fork.

Method

1. Mash the bananas
   Peel the bananas and put them in a large mixing bowl. Mash them with a fork to a fairly smooth mixture, with a few small pieces remaining.
2. Stir in the sugar
   Add the light brown soft sugar to the banana and stir well.
3. Mix in the butter and eggs
   Pour the lukewarm melted butter and the beaten eggs into the banana mixture and mix until smooth.
4. Sift the dry ingredients
   In another bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder and the pinch of salt. Sift this mixture over the bowl with the banana batter.
5. Fold the batter briefly
   Gently fold the flour into the wet mixture until no dry patches of flour remain visible. Do not stir longer than necessary, so the loaf stays light.
6. Fill the loaf tin
   Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the top.
7. Bake the banana bread until cooked through
   Place the loaf tin in the middle of the oven and bake the banana bread for 50–60 minutes until cooked through. The loaf is done when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
8. Let the loaf rest in the tin
   Remove the loaf tin from the oven and let the banana bread rest in the tin for 10 minutes.
9. Let the loaf cool completely
   Then carefully turn the loaf out onto a wire rack, remove the baking paper and let it cool completely before slicing.