Spunky banana bread

Everybody loves a good banana bread. Somewhere in between a dessert and a savoury, and labelled as bread to make it a valid “healthy option”. Win win.

The reason why this one is so spunky, however, is due to the addition of dark chocolate and a few handfuls of toasted flaked almonds. The original recipe called for hazelnuts but it was 11:15am, my shift was due to start at 12pm, and I had to make the executive decision to use the already ready almond flakes over my non-toasted non-chopped hazelnuts. It was a decision that I did not regret! Yes, I was a wee bit late to work – but I came bearing freshly baked cake and soon all was forgiven and forgotten…!

Ingredients 

• 125g butter, softened
• 175g brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups mashed banana
• 70g toasted almonds (flaked or slivered)
• 90g chopped dark chocolate
• 255g plain flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder, sifted
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate powder (baking soda), sifted
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 115g golden syrup

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160ºC.
2. Prepare a 26cm x 11cm loaf tin.
3. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla extract together until well combined and creamy.
4. Add the eggs one by one, beating well in between.
5. Finally, add the banana, almonds, chocolate, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate powder, cinnamon and golden syrup and stir to combine.
6. Spoon mixture into your loaf tin.
7. Bake for 75 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
8. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.