Banana loaf

This is a perfect recipe for people like me, who buy a million bananas optimistically, eat two and then leave the rest slowly going black in the fruit bowl. I used seven small bananas for this cake; it makes quite a dense loaf that doesn't rise very much but doesn't feel heavy to eat, either. Use as many or as few bananas as you have; if you have less banana, use another egg.


4 large or 7 small overripe bananas
8 oz (225 g) self-raising, wholemeal flour
6 oz (175 g) caster sugar
4 oz (100 g) butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
2 tbs golden syrup
Pinch of salt
I don't really like nuts in banana bread, but if you do, add a handful of chopped brazil nuts, walnuts or pecans, or a mixture.

Preheat oven to 150 C/300 F/gas 2. Grease a 2 lb (900 g) loaf tin.
Mash bananas with a fork, add golden syrup and beaten egg.
Sift flour and sugar together and add a pinch of salt. Beat in banana mixture, spoon into tin and bake for 1 hr or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Leave to cool in tin for fifteen minutes before turning out.

I've never iced this before but Deri decided to and it does make it even nicer! This icing is only brown because I saw unrefined icing sugar in the shop a few weeks ago and was curious to try it. It does actually taste slightly more caramelly or golden-syrupy, and I think the brown icing with the brown cake looks quite pretty, but normal icing sugar would do just as well.

To ice:
Mix icing sugar and a few drops of water in a bowl to desired consistency. Spread onto cake with the back of a teaspoon or a knife, leave to set.

This cake will keep well in a tin for over a week, if you let it. It travels well, too, so is good for taking in slices in your lunch box.