During the first lockdown, the nation went a little bonkers for baking banana bread. It's pretty simple as cake recipes go and you can use up your over-ripe bananas. Perhaps you missed out on the trend first time round or maybe you fancy baking a different banana loaf to last time?
We've got four variations on the standard bread: vegan, chocolate and Brazil nut, sugar-free and blueberry and rum. Yum!
Take a look below…
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Vegan banana bread
This FAB Flour Easy Peasy banana bread recipe is super simple to make using common ingredients in your kitchen cupboards – and no eggs! And if you're feeling adventurous, the recipe states, "You can add vegan chocolate spreads, Biscoff spread, nuts or different kinds of chocolate chips to get the flavour you like."
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INGREDIENTS
Makes one 1kg loaf
Ingredients for vegan banana bread
- 4 ripe bananas
- 75g vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 225g self-raising flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 100g light brown soft sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Instructions for vegan banana bread
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Step 2
Mash three of the bananas into a measuring jug with the vegetable oil and vanilla.
Step 3
In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
Step 4
Add the wet mix to the dry mix and combine. Pour into the lined loaf tin and top with the fourth banana, halved lengthways.
Step 5
Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden on top and springy to touch in the centre.
Recipes from the FAB Flour Easy Peasy Baking campaign, launched by NABIM. Visit: fabflour.co.uk. Instagram: @fab_flour
MORE: How to bake bread without yeast: This Morning's Phil Vickery shares easy recipe
Nutty banana bread
Banana bread is a great way to use up overripe bananas, in fact, the darker the skins, the better! This recipe adds Brazil nuts for a delicious nutty crunch and Divine’s 70% dark chocolate.
INGREDIENTS
Ingredients for nutty banana bread
- 150g plain flour
- 150g wholemeal flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 100g 70% Divine chocolate, broken into pieces and roughly chopped
- 60g brazil nuts, roughly chopped
- 125g unsalted butter, very soft, plus a little extra for greasing
- 150g Fairtrade caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 100ml buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 4 medium overripe Fairtrade bananas, mashed almost to a puree
INSTRUCTIONS
Instructions for nutty banana bread
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F / Gas Mark 4 and grease a 2lb loaf tin with a little butter.
Step 2
Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the chocolate and Brazil nuts and briefly mix together until evenly distributed and coated in flour.
Step 3
In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with a hand whisk or food mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the buttermilk, vanilla and almond extracts and finally the mashed bananas.
Step 4
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Using a large spoon, mix everything together until just combined.
Step 5
Pour the mixture into the greased loaf tin and cook in the preheated oven for 60-70 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle.
Step 6
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Thanks to food blogger Pauline Milligan and Divine Chocolate
Low-sugar banana bread
This naturally delicious banana bread recipe made with YaconViva's Yacon Syrup is the perfect household treat for all those with a sweet tooth.
INGREDIENTS
Makes one 1kg loaf
Ingredients for low-sugar banana bread
- 125g Butter
- 2 ripe Bananas
- 1tsp vanilla essence
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 eggs
- 100g YaconViva Yacon Syrup
- 230g self-raising flour
INSTRUCTIONS
Instructions for low-sugar banana bread
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 170C and place a low sided baking tray on the middle shelf (this helps prevent a soggy bottom) and then line a loaf tin with baking paper.
Step 2
Melt the butter, and once melted, add the bananas and mix to form a smooth paste.
Step 3
Add in the vanilla essence, cinnamon, milk and syrup and mix again.
Step 4
Add in the eggs and mix, ensuring they are fully mixed in.
Step 5
Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl and add the flour in. Mix to combine for about 15 more seconds.
Step 6
Pour into the prepared tin and cover loosely with tin foil. Cook for 45mins. After 45 mins take off the tin foil and cook for a further 15 mins.
Step 7
Let it cool before transferring to a serving plate. Enjoy!
YaconViva Yacon Syrup is available at Amazon UK, yaconviva.co.uk and all good health stores. Priced £9.99 for a 220g bottle.
Boozy blueberry banana bread
If you fancy indulging in something boozy and sweet, Aldi’s Triple ‘B’ Banana Bake is straight forward and easy to make with the key ingredients of bananas, blueberries and booze!
INGREDIENTS
Ingredients for boozy blueberry banana bread
- 150g blueberries
- 2 ripe bananas
- 140g self-raising flour
- 140g caster sugar
- 140g Aldi’s Perfect for Cake spread
- 2 medium eggs
- 1tsp baking powder
- 50ml of Aldi’s Old Hopking Spiced Rum (£10.49).
INSTRUCTIONS
Instructions for boozy blueberry banana bread
Step 1
Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line the side of the cake tin with non-stick baking parchment.
Step 2
Peel bananas and chop.
Step 3
Whisk bananas, rum, eggs, spread, caster sugar, flour and baking powder until smooth or blend in a food processor.
Step 4
Put a third of the batter into the bread tin and sprinkle over a third of the blueberries. Repeat this until you have used all the ingredients.
Step 5
Bake for 40 minutes, or until risen.
Step 6
Allow to cool, then slice, serve and enjoy!
