Chocolate Banana Loaf

Cake. Who doesn’t love it? Give me a quiet corner, a cup of tea, and a slice of something delicious and I’m smiling.

Today’s ‘something delicious’ was a slice of Chocolate Banana Loaf. I always have leftover bananas looking a little past their best in the fruit bowl. This banana loaf (or cake if that’s what you prefer to call it!) is my absolute favourite way to use them up. It’s also a good excuse to eat cake, as if I need one…

It’s best to use bananas that are starting to speckle in this recipe, the riper they are, the sweeter your cake will be. You should end up with a wonderfully light loaf, that melts in your mouth. Perfect for a lunch box treat, or an afternoon indulgence!

Chocolate Banana Loaf
Makes approx 15 slices

Ingredients:

• 240g soft light brown sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 3 small bananas (approx 200g when peeled)
• 240g plain flour
• 1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 level tsp baking powder
• 30g cocoa powder
• 140g butter – melted

1. Turn on the oven and heat to 175°C, and line a 2 lb loaf tin with grease proof paper, or a loaf tin liner.
2. Using a hand-held mixer (or a free-standing one), mix together the eggs and sugar, until light and fluffy, then beat in the mashed bananas.
3. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mix thoroughly, making sure you incorporate the dry ingredients well.
4. Add the melted butter, mix well, until the batter has a nice sheen.
5. Tip the batter into your lined loaf tin, and bake in your pre-heated oven for approx 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
6. Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes before cooling completely on a wire cooling rack.
7. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche and a nice hot cuppa. Bliss!