Banana & Chocolate Chip Bread – (a cake)!!
Why is banana bread is not called a cake, when it looks and feels like one! This dates to the 1930s when cooks began adding ripe bananas to their bread recipes to create a sweet flavour and moist texture.
The original recipe for banana bread used yeast, however with the invention of baking powder, banana bread recipes changed using baking powder not yeast, this resulted in a more cake-like texture and flavour, but the name “banana bread” stuck.
I like my bananas when they have just turned from green to yellow, preferably without any brown spots, consequently I buy “ripen at home” bananas, but even then, there is always a couple that I need to turn into something creative! One of my favourite things to make is this very simple one bowl method banana and chocolate chip bread which I make pareve and gluten free, but you can substitute regular flour and butter if you prefer.
Ingredients To make a one kilo loaf, or 2x ½ kilo loaves.
140grams plant-based margarine.
140 grams soft brown sugar
140 grams self -raising gluten free flour.
2 large free-range eggs beaten.
100 grams chocolate chips or dairy free chocolate bar broken up small.
3 ripe bananas mashed.
1 level teaspoon vanilla essence
1 level teaspoon baking powder
Method
- Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line your baking tins with baking parchment
- Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and using a hand mixer mix for at least 3 minutes until everything is combined and the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Transfer into the baking tin or tins and tap the bottom on the countertop to release the air.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for between 50 minutes to an hour, leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. This, cake keeps for up to a week in cake tin.