This classic is up there with my all time favourite things to bake. I always seem to have too many bananas lying around the house and this is a great recipe to make sure they get put to use!

If you get the bake right you will left with a moist, spongy cake like texture that has just the right balance of sweetness to spice with a delicious accent of banana running through each bite.

Don’t fall into the trap though thinking that this isn’t a sweet treat because it has fruit in the title, calorie wise it is packing the same punch as a muffin or brownie so if you can avoid demolishing the whole loaf in one (I often struggle..) your hips will so much the more grateful for it.

Ingredients;

  • 180 grams Dark Chocolate
  • 2 Bananas smashed to a rough paste with a fork – they need to be ripe, you cant use under ripe ones for this!
  • 120 grams Butter
  • 300 grams Plain Flour
  • 300 grams Light Brown Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ Tsp. Ground Mace
  • 1 Tsp. Vanilla Bean Paste
  • 1 Tsp. Baking Powder
  • ½ Tsp. Bicarbonate of Soda
  • You will need a Loaf Tin

Method;

Pre-heat the oven to 175 Degrees Celsius. Line your Loaf Tin with a Loaf Liner, or just take some butter and rub it all around the Loaf Tin to ensure your Loaf doesn’t stick to it and is easy to remove once cooked.

Weigh out all the ingredients first – it is the easiest way to bake & ensures you don’t forget to add anything!

Take the Butter, place in a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave for around 30-45 seconds until it is all melted. Then set aside to cool.

I use a Freestanding Mixer for most of my baking, but if you don’t have one you will need either a hand Whisk or Electric Hand Whisk. Crack the Eggs into the bowl of the Mixer, add the Sugar and Whisk until light in colour and it has all come together – about 5 minutes.

Next add in the Bananas, Cinnamon, Mace & Vanilla Paste and mix until it is all combined.

Pour in the Flour, Baking Powder, Bicarbonate of Soda and mix – try not to overmix, you just want to mix it until it all comes together. Finally pour in the golden melted butter and again mix until it is combined.

Smash up the Chocolate until smallish chunks. Now it is time to assemble the Loaf, so start by pouring a little bit of the batter into the prepared Loaf Tin until the base is all covered. Then add some of the Chocolate pieces – I usually add around 5 on each layer. Pour over some more batter mix and again then add more Chocolate pieces. Continue doing this until you have used all of the batter up. Top the Load with some of the remaining Chocolate chunks and just press them in a little so they are partially covered by the batter.

Place on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for around 40-45 minutes, or until browned on the top and there is no sticky batter in the middle, if you place a knife in it – the knife should come out clean apart from perhaps a little melted chocolate!

Leave the Loaf to cool for 30 minutes or so and then remove from the Loaf Tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Slice up and serve!

Tips;

  • You must use ripe/soft Bananas
  • If you don’t have Ground Mace you can use Ground Ginger or Ground Cloves instead
  • I have also made this using Coconut Sugar – if you do this just add another Egg to the recipe as Coconut Sugar is quite dry and needs some more liquid to allow it to combine.