Banana Republic

B is for Banana Bread. B is for Brilliant. B is for Bring Me Another Slice Please! Banana Bread is one of my favourite recipes - it's quick to bake, tastes great and can be sliced and frozen for a later date (if you don't gobble it up in a couple of days). Here's our how-to guide...

Ingredients:

270g soft light brown sugar
2 free range eggs
2 medium bananas, peeled and mashed
280g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
140g unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

B Preheat the oven to 170°C (Gas 3). Put the sugar in a large bowl, breaking up any lumps.
A Add your eggs, taking care not to include any shell.
N Using an electric whisk, beat until well incorporated. After a few minutes the mixture will start to lighten - whisk for another minute or two, then stop.
A Mash your bananas using the back of a fork, then add them to the bowl. Beat lightly with a wooden spoon to mix through the banana and add lots of air, so your sponge is fluffy.

N Add the sugar, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinammon to the bowl. Sieve the ingredients to remove any lumps and add more air to the mixture.

A Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Pour into a lined loaf tin and bake in the oven for about 1 hour, or until a sharp knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. If you think your loaf is taking a long time to cook, turn the heat down to 150°C to prevent the top burning while the insides cook. Leave to cool in the tin before turning onto a wire cooling rack. Slice and serve!