Bananas (x6)

Mary Berry's Banana Loaf Recipe

A warming banana loaf recipe, made using the ripest bananas. This deliciously moist loaf cake, best served in thick slices, is one of Mary Berry’s most popular recipes.

This is a lovely, moist loaf, which really doesn’t need to be buttered. It freezes extremely well. Any bananas left in the fruit bowl are ideal for this cake – the riper they are, the better.

Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 1 h

Ingredients

100g (4oz) butter, softened
175g (6oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
225g (8oz) self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp milk

Method

You will need a 900g (2lb) loaf tin, 17 x 9 x 9cm (6½ x 3½ x 3½in) base measurement.

Lightly grease the loaf tin and line it with non-stick baking parchment.

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

Measure all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat for about two minutes, until well blended; an electric mixer is best for this but of course you can also beat by hand with a wooden spoon.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.

Bake for about one hour, until well risen and golden brown. A fine skewer inserted in the centre of the cake should come out clean.

Leave the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then loosen with a small palette knife and turn the cake out. Remove the lining paper and leave on a wire rack to cool completely. Slice thickly to serve.