Banana bread

Banana bread

1 h 15 min
Banana bread, banana loaf, and banana cake – this delicious baked good is known by many names, but no matter what you call it, it is a real treat. With our recipe for banana bread, you can make a cake with a soft and tender crumb and, of course, lots of flavour. Served with a chocolate coating and garnished with pieces of walnut, it is perfect for enjoying in the afternoon.
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https://www.arlafoods.co.uk/recipes/banana-bread/

Instructions

Banana bread:
  • Preheat oven to 175°C (regular oven).
  • Beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Mix flour and baking powder and gently fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture alternating with butter. Fold in the mashed bananas.
  • Pour the batter into a greased loaf tin (approx. 1 litre) and bake it in the bottom of the oven for about 55 minutes.
  • Turn the banana loaf out onto a wire rack and let it cool.
Chocolate coating and garnish:
  • Place the loaf upside down on a serving plate.
  • Coat it with melted chocolate, garnish with walnuts, and serve.
Enjoy!
Tip

Making homemade banana bread is a great way of using bananas that may be deemed past their prime. A rule of thumb is the riper the banana, the sweeter and tenderer the banana bread. As such, you should go for the bananas with lots of brown spots or ones that have gone entirely brown. You can even use super-ripe, black bananas. These ones, which may have almost become like a banana syrup on the inside, will give your banana loaf an intense, almost caramel-like banana flavour. 'Green' bananas, that is fresh and hard ones, will not give this loaf the same characteristic banana flavour as a ripe one and will not provide the moisture needed to create the moist crumb for which it is known.

Tip

If the bananas in your fruit bowl are not yet ripe enough, place your bananas in the warmest part of your house (for instance, a windowsill that gets a lot of direct sunlight). This should help speed up the ripening process considerably. Depending on the ripeness of the bananas when you place them there, it should take somewhere between 24 hours to 5 days to get your bananas to a stage where they are suited to a recipe for banana bread.

Questions about banana bread

Making a sweet and moist treat is no big deal with our easy banana bread recipe. By reading our answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the classic cake below, you can learn more about the loaf cake, including how to store and serve as well as ensure a fluffy texture.

What is banana bread?
Banana bread is a cake loaf made using mashed bananas. It is a type of sweet, quick bread leavened using baking powder, and it has a soft, tender crumb. The bananas give the cake a sweet taste and add heaps of moisture, making this loaf cake an immensely popular banana dish as well as a staple comfort food for many.
How to make banana bread?
This banana treat is a hit with people of all ages and walks of life. It is also a great opportunity to use any leftover bananas that may have been hiding at the bottom of your fruit bowl. Follow our simple recipe and serve the soft and moist banana bread after you have allowed it to cool and coated it with a layer of delicious, melted chocolate and some crunchy pieces of walnut.
How to store banana bread?
It is best stored properly wrapped on your countertop. Use a combination of aluminium foil, cling film, or beeswax to wrap the banana bread securely to secure its moistness. Always wait for it too cool before wrapping it. Properly wrapped, it will keep for 3-4 days. This time cannot be elongated by storing it in the refrigerator. This will dry it out and, as such, make it last a shorter while.
How long does banana bread last?
If you make sure to wrap it properly, your homemade banana loaf should last for up to 3-4 days at room temperature. If you do not plan on eating the entire banana treat at once, storing part of it or, of course, any potential leftovers, in the freezer is also an option. In this cold environment, a loaf of banana bread or pieces thereof will last for up to 4 months.
Why is my banana bread not fluffy?
The best way to ensure a baked good's fluffy and light texture is to not overwork its batter. It is important to make sure that your egg mixture is light and fluffy, while the recipe's dry ingredients should be folded gently into the mixture as to not knock out the air that was incorporated during the beating process. Not overmixing the batter is the easiest way to ensure a fluffy and soft banana bread.
How ripe should bananas be for banana bread?
Preferably, the bananas you use to make a banana bread should be quite ripe. A ripe banana with many brown spots or an entirely brown skin adds more sweetness to the cake and helps ensure its tender crumb by providing a lot of natural moisture. Because riper bananas make for a sweeter treat, this recipe is a great way of using over-ripe bananas.
How to freeze banana bread?
In the freezer, your homemade banana loaf will keep for up to 4 months. Be sure to wrap it properly using cling film and aluminium foil before placing it into an airtight container or a freezer bag. You have the option of saving an entire loaf, a partial one, or some leftover slices. If you are freezing the entire loaf after baking, make sure to cool it entirely and freeze it without the chocolate coating. When you are ready to eat the rest of your baked good, allow for time for it to thaw on the countertop. 3-4 hours for a loaf, 30 minutes to an hour for slices. You can also choose to thaw it overnight in your refrigerator.
Can you use frozen bananas for banana bread?
While it is possible to use bananas that have been frozen in a recipe for banana bread, you will need to wait for them to thaw first. A frozen banana is simply much too hard to mash. However, using thawed bananas may actually give you a banana loaf that is softer than one made using counter-ripened bananas. The reason is that using fruit that has been frozen in baked goods adds additional moisture.
How to serve banana bread?
Serve your cooled banana loaf with a chocolate coating and chopped walnuts for an outstanding afternoon treat that pairs incredibly well with a cup of coffee. You can also enjoy slices as a breakfast treat with peanut butter or spiced butter. Making a hot cup of tea, warming up the slices in your oven or toaster, and slathering on some butter makes for a delicious start to your day if you enjoy the way the melting butter brings a bit of saltiness to the sweet loaf.

Ingredients

Banana bread:
Eggs
3
Sugar (approx. 2 dl)
170 g
Vanilla sugar
2 tsp
Flour (approx. 2 dl)
125 g
Baking powder
1 tsp
Butter – melted and cooled
100 g
Mashed bananas (approx. 1½ dl)
2
Chocolate coating:
Melted, dark chocolate (about 55 % cocoa)
100 g
Coarsely chopped walnuts
50 g
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Traditional soft banana bread

While the classic banana loaf is an American invention, many countries around the world have their own versions. The best banana bread recipe yields a golden-brown cake that is tender beyond compare. It should be soft and moist when you bite into it and bring a smile to your face with its sweet and fruity flavour. A banana-flavoured treat like this will satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth, so it is no wonder that it is considered a comfort food by many and is enjoyed around the globe.

If the sweet cake has only made you crave bananas even more, have a look at our recipes for banana muffins, banana pancakes, and banana smoothies, too.

Bold chocolate flavours and crunchy walnut

A banana bread with chocolate and walnuts is even more delicious than a classic, plain one. Banana and chocolate are a wonderful pairing as the banana's sweetness and the dark chocolate's richness and slight bitterness complement each other wonderfully. The chopped walnuts bring a delicious crunchiness and difference in texture, making for a wonderful addition to this otherwise quite soft cake loaf.

The perfect cake for all ages

With classic flavours like banana, chocolate, and walnut, this moist banana bread recipe is perfect for all people, no matter their age. Because the recipe is simple to follow, it is also quite easy to engage younger family members in the preparation of this cake loaf. Start slowly by allowing them to help you mash the bananas or measure the dry ingredients and give them more tasks as they improve their skills in the kitchen. Involving children this way teaches them many valuable lessons, and it is a great way to spend time together as a family too – especially when you choose simply and easy recipes like this. So, if you want to bring your children into the kitchen more, this recipe for banana bread is a great place to start.

Experiment with banana bread toppings

You can enjoy banana bread with many different types of toppings. If you want to lean into the loaf's natural sweetness, you can choose to go all out and serve your chocolate-coated banana bread with a homemade ice cream for a delightfully decadent dessert. If you would prefer to brighten the sweet dish, try replacing the melted chocolate with an orange-infused crème fraiche made with a freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest. Use a bit of the orange zest to garnish the ice-cold crème fraiche as well to add a beautiful pop of colour and even more citrussy brightness.

Without the chocolate coating, you might also enjoy warm slices of the loaf with a spread of spiced butter. Try experimenting with making your own homemade spiced butter with warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and clove. The warming spices combined with the full butter flavour complement the sweet banana loaf very well, adding complexity to the dish.

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