Banana Walnut Loaf (banana bread)

This is an easy cake to make for a picnic. I assemble the whole thing in the processor taking care not to over mix but it’s easy to make without one. Banana loaf is lovely in thick slices warm from the oven but iced banana bread is good toasted too for an indulgent breakfast treat.

Ingredients

• ½ cup of butter or substitute
• 1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ cups of mashed ripe bananas- approximately 3 medium bananas
• 1 tbsp of lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• a pinch of salt
• 2 cups of plain flour
• 3 tsp of baking powder
• 1 cup of chopped walnuts

Icing 

• 3/4 cup icing sugar
• a good squeeze of lemon juice
• 1 scant tbsp water – just enough to make a thick pourable icing

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a loaf tin and place a strip of non-stick baking paper crosswise in the tin so it overhangs on both sides..
Cream the butter and sugar until light and slightly pale, then mix in the eggs (I do this in the processor). Add the banana, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. 

Sift in the flour and baking powder and lastly add walnuts. Mix quickly to form a soft batter. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for approximately 60 minutes, until a knife inserted in the loaf comes out clean.

Use the paper overhang to lift the loaf from the tin and cool on a rack. When cooled mix together the icing ingredients if using and drizzle onto the loaf. Serve as is or toast and spread with butter.

Tips

This recipe is a good one for using the over-ripe bananas you froze to stop them going to waste.