There is nothing like having a great banana bread recipe that you can whip up at a moment’s notice … but even better when that one batter can be adapted to make 4 different varieties, depending on how you are feeling at the time, and what fruit you have available.
I generally always have bananas left over each week, so use up the ripe ones for the best flavour, or if you wish to enhance the flavour of your bananas, you can bake them prior to using … place the amount of peeled bananas you are using in a baking tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with brown sugar, honey or maple syrup and bake at 180 degrees (fan forced) for 30 minutes. The bananas should be golden with some gooey syrup on the bottom. Allow to cool, then scrape bananas directly into the TM bowl along with the sticky goo!
Instead of using the white chocolate glaze, you can sprinkle some pepitas and/or sunflower seeds onto bread prior to baking, or leave it plain if you prefer (which is what I usually do).
There are lots of substitutions in this recipe, so to make it dairy free use light olive oil in place of the butter, and coconut milk in place of the dairy options … I have tried all the options and all work beautifully.
The bread keeps well for a few days, and does not need to be refrigerated.
Use ripe bananas for the best flavour.
To enhance the flavour of your bananas, you can bake them prior to using … place the amount of peeled bananas you are using in a baking tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with brown sugar, honey or maple syrup and bake at 180 degrees (fan forced) for 30 minutes. The bananas should be golden with some gooey syrup on the bottom. Allow to cool, then scrape bananas directly into the TM bowl along with the sticky goo!
Instead of using the chocolate glaze, you can sprinkle some pepitas and/or sunflower seeds onto bread prior to baking, or leave it plain if you prefer.
The bread keeps well for a few days … do not refrigerate.
- 520g ripe bananas (this is peeled weight – about 4 to 5 large)
- 200g unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into cubes / or 150g light olive oil
- 200g rapadura sugar / or coconut palm sugar / or golden caster sugar / or plain caster sugar / or light muscovado sugar / or plain brown sugar
- 3 x 59g large eggs, room temperature
- 200g white spelt flour / or plain white flour
- 130g wholemeal spelt flour / or plain wholemeal flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp bi-carb soda
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes / or ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp mixed spice (optional but nice)
- 150g full fat plain or Greek yoghurt / or buttermilk / or plain full fat coconut milk / or sour cream
- 3 tsp vanilla extract
- 160g white chocolate, broken into chunks
- 50g sour cream
- Handful pepitas to sprinkle on top if desired
- Place rack into middle of oven, and pre-heat to 180 degrees fan forced
- Grease and line a large loaf tin (base measurement 25cm x 9.5cms), or a round 22cm cake tin (base measurement) with baking paper
- Place bananas into TM bowl and mix 5 seconds x speed 6, scrape down sides
- Add butter, sugar and eggs and mix 20 seconds x speed 4, scrape down sides
- Add flours, baking powder, bi-barb soda, salt, dairy of choice, and vanilla and mix 10 seconds x speed 5
- Scrape around top of bowl, and then remix for another 2 seconds x speed 5 to ensure all the mix is incorporated
- Pour mix into loaf or cake tin, even out top with a flat spatula and bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean (it takes exactly 1 hour and 10 minutes in my oven for both the loaf tin and round cake tin)
- Let loaf rest in tin for 20 minutes before removing and placing on a cake rack to cool
- To make it a little more special (as this “bread” can easily be served as cake), then cover with white chocolate glaze sprinkled with pepitas
- Place white chocolate into TM bowl and mill 6 seconds / speed 8
- Scrape down sides, add sour cream and melt 2-3 min / 50 / speed 3 until mix is nice and smooth
- Place mixture into ceramic bowl and leave to cool and firm up ... this can take a little time but it needs to be firmer to spread evenly ... to speed things up you can put the bowl into the fridge and check it every 15 minutes or so until you get a thicker spreading consistency
- Spread over bread and sprinkle with pepitas
- Replace 520g banana with 260g red apples, washed, cut into quarters, and cored (any type … about 2-3), and 260g ripe bananas (this is peeled weight - about 2 large)
- It is important you have a weight of 520g of fruit, so if you are a little short with one of the fruits, make it up with the other to give you 520g.
- Replace 30g white spelt flour or plain flour with 30g Dutch or plain cocoa powder (Dutch cocoa gives a darker and more intense flavour)
- Replace 520g banana with the combination of 260g apple / 260g banana; and 30g white spelt flour or plain flour with 30g Dutch or plain cocoa powder.
Absolutely delicious banana bread! Another winner Gina.
Oh Sash … you have totally made my day!!! Tori was just here too and went through the recipe with me as she wants to make it herself to take to work tomorrow … so lovely to be able to share recipes with everyone … thank you so much for letting me know xo
Hi Gina, while the oven was hot and I had bananas to use I also made this today! I make it in two small foil tins so that we can eat one and freeze one, or I can give it away easily to another family without worrying about the tin. (“Small” 22cm x15.5cm foil tins in the bbq section at woollies). I do find that they still took 50min to bake in my oven. Today for something different I added a bag of white chocolate chips to the mixture, I don’t do a glaze as it’s easier to freeze without. This has become my go-to banana bread recipe!Thanks Gina!
Tamarra … you are on a roll! Fabulous idea to make two separate ones as it gives you so much flexibility in terms of usage. I always like to give away some of what I bake, and your idea is perfect. I love this recipe too … last week I used 260g banana, and 260g raw beetroot, and made the chocolate version using 30g ditched cocoa with 300g flour … absolutely perfect and the family loved it. I really like how this recipe can be adapted to suit the maker … AND … I had never thought of adding white chocolate chips … I love white chocolate so will have to try that next time xo Gina
Hi there,
I would love to hear more on recipes you post. I had a piece of your Banana Bread today and it was truly delicious and I can’t wait to make it myself. Fingers crossed it turns out as well as Fiona’s.
Cheers
Denise
Hi Denise … so lovely to hear from you … yes, the banana bread is a favourite with many … so easy to do and options there to suit most tastes … would love to know how you go when you make it … fingers crossed it all goes well! If you wish to know when I post new recipes there is a link on the front page of the website to register to get email updates, or just take a peek at the recipe listing when you get the time … hopefully there are other recipes there that take your fancy … thanks so much for dropping by xo
Hi Gina my choclate banana bread is in the oven as I am writing this . I roasted the bananas drizzled with maple syrup and they smelled divine. Will let you know how it turns out . I have friends coming around for morning tea tomorrow and will get there opinion I am sure it will be lovely.
Cheers Lesley
Oh Lesley … fingers crossed it gets the tick of approval … and just another tip … I also cut thick slices of the banana bread and toast it in a sandwich press, but not one that presses down hard on the bread otherwise it will flatten it … you need to have one that allows the lid to just “sit” on top of what is in the sandwich press … alternatively, put a thick slice into an frypan (no butter needed) and cook at medium heat for a couple of minutes either side, sprinkle over some cinnamon, and then a touch of maple syrup!!!! If you really want to be naughty, then a scoop of vanilla ice-cream (recipe is on my website) finishes it off … delicious! Sam does this a lot (as do we!!!!) xo