Banana Bread

I can’t begin to explain what this banana bread means to me. The idea of associating food with meaning can seem quite bizarre and overthought. Certain meals, desserts and smells often evoke specific memories and feelings, which in turn become meaningful. Why else does festive food get us so excited?!

This loaf in particular is one that makes me feel whole inside. It’s my dad’s favourite, and when I created the recipe, he’d ask me if I were making it almost every other day! Every couple of months he still asks when I’m going to ‘make that banana cake again’. My dad isn’t the kind of person that asks much of anyone, so knowing how much he loves this bake just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

I hope your loved ones can enjoy this beauty as much as mine do!

Notes:

• If you don’t have ground almonds, just use 1.5 cups/220g of plain flour

• To make this loaf Gluten Free, use 3/4 cup GF flour, in place of the plain flour

Ingredients

• 2 Bananas

• 2 Eggs (or 2 flax eggs)

• ⅓ cup Olive Oil/ 60g

• ⅓ cup Sugar/ 60g (I use unrefined cane sugar/coconut sugar)

• ¾ cup Ground Almonds /80g

• ¾ cup Plain Flour/ 110g

• 1 tsp Vanilla

• 1 tsp Cinnamon

• Pinch of Salt

• ½ tsp Bicarbonate of soda

• 1 tsp Baking powder

• Blanched almonds (optional, to top)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/350°F

2. Mash the bananas in a mixing bowl

3. Add the eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla, and whisk until pale and fluffy

4. Add in the rest of the ingredients, and whisk until everything is well incorporated

5. Pour into a lined loaf tin & sprinkle with blanched almonds, a little extra sugar and a pinch of cinnamon

6. Bake for 40-50 mins (when its done it should spring back if you press the middle) then leave to cool

   Enjoy!