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| An utra-luxurious banana bread with a wow factor |
This luxury version of banana bread, studded with chunks of chocolate and shards of sweet stem ginger, is a knock-out. The velvety topping of cream, yoghurt and ginger syrup is also wonderful.
So often, banana breads - healthy, tasty and thrifty though they are - can be boring. But banana and chocolate make a winning combination; add finely chopped ginger from syrup (in a jar) and you're onto a completely different level.
With banana breads, spontaneity is not an option. Planning is required. The bananas have to reach the right stage of ripeness: soft, spotty and almost black. Don't be tempted to rush the process; banana bread that doesn't smell or taste of banana is just...sad.
67's bananas were purchased when they were barely yellow and it took over a week to reach the right stage. (Baking unripe bananas in the oven until the skins were black were a disaster, causing acute digestive problems!)
This cake is best baked on the day but the ingredients can be prepared and measured out the day before.
Cost: £5.00'ish (Aug 23)
Makes: one large 12-14 slice loaf
Ingred:
400-500gm/14-16oz unpeeled ripe bananas
3 med eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
110gm/3.8oz sugar (white & brown is good)
175ml sunflower or light veg oil
255gm/9oz plain flour sifted (1/3 wholemeal flour raises fibre but white will do)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 generous tbsp dried unsweetened coconut OR ground almonds
70gm/2.5oz choc chips or roughly chopped chocolate
42gm/1.5oz finely chopped drained ginger from syrup
Topping:
100mg whipping or double cream in stiff peaks
100gm/3.5oz 0-fat Greek or Icelandic yogurt
2 tbsp ginger syrup (from jar)
1/2 ball ginger from syrup, in tiny matchsticks
Method:
Equipment: 1x2lb loaf tin; 3-4 lined cupcake moulds
- Grease a 2lb loaf tin; line with a strip of greaseproof paper that extends over the edges
- Preheat oven to 180c/350f
- Peel bananas; remove any rotten bits; mash thoroughly
- Add: beaten eggs, vanilla, sugar & oil; using electric or a stand-alone beaters, whisk until thoroughly blended
- Sift in flour, baking powder & salt; blend; stir in coconut
- Add chocolate & sweet ginger, distributing evenly
- Pour into tin
- Remove 1/2 cup of batter (trust me!) and pour into cupcake moulds
- Bake loaf in centre of oven 45-55 mins; if getting too brown, cover with greaseproof paper; place cupcakes on top shelf - they should be ready in 15-20 mins (a cocktail stick inserted into the middle will come out clean)
- Serve warm or at room temperature with topping
- Topping: mix cream to stiff peaks; stir in yoghurt, ginger syrup & ginger
Comments:
'Good...very good!.' Campaign manager
'Unique; the topping was very special.' Intern, Boston University
'The cake is lovely and the cream gorgeous.' Political Agent
'I love the ginger and really enjoyed the blend of tastes.' Underground driver
'Really nice. The cake is very tender; the ginger not overpowering.' Political Youth co-ordinator
'Lovely! I don't have a very sweet tooth but liked this, especially the fruity flavour and strong chocolate hint. Wouldn't have minded more ginger but what there was gave a nice crunch.' Senior marketing/admin manager
Tips:
- Replace plain flour with spelt
- If you liked this you will probably also like chocolate croissant banana bread and butter pudding
For more lower sugar baking, go to NavBar/RecipesI: Baking...
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This recipe has been developed by B Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.
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