The Humble Banana Bread

Here in the UK tea time is important, and tea time needs a good biscuit or a cake or maybe a sandwich to go with it. There are many different types of cake that you can have with your tea, from lemon drizzle, which is a big hitter for many, to marble cake, madeira cake or even the less popular but equally lovely fennel seed cake. There are flavour combinations to suit any and all. It is when you experience tea in the proper English way, that you understand why it is such a big deal. There is nothing better than a good brew and a good thick slice of cake.

For me Banana Bread is one of my most favourite of the tea time cakes. It is rich and full of flavour, tastes amazing with coffee, tea, warm milk or a hot chocolate. Thanks to the bananas it is moist and melts in the mouth. Plus my recipe has rum in it, and any cake with rum is good in my books, I love the boozy spicy flavour of dark rum, it just gives the banana bread an extra depth.

The recipe I use is from the BBC Food website and it is both simple, quick and guarantees a great result every time.

I will put the ingredients here for you but for the full recipe and method just go here.

Ingredients:

• 285g/10oz plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 110g/4oz butter, plus extra for greasing
• 225g/8oz caster sugar*
• 2 free-range eggs
• 4 ripe bananas, mashed
• 85ml/3fl oz buttermilk (or normal milk mixed with 1½ tsp lemon juice or vinegar)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

The only thing I changed is the addition of 50ml of Dark Rum/Spiced Rum to it. I add it to the bananas as I mash them it. You can use rum essence if you want the flavour but not the alcohol, however that is very strong and you need to be very careful when you use it. Depending on the brand it can also leave a chemical aftertaste to your check, so use at your own peril. 

I like mine with a dollop of cool thick Greek Yogurt

Another tip that I have, which I again discovered due to poor maintenance of my baking supplies, is that if you can use *demerara sugar instead of caster sugar that will also give you an extra rich caramel flavour to your bread.

I wish there was a way for me to explain the amazing aromas currently wafting through my flat, or how hard it is for me to not start cutting into this while it’s still piping hot.

                Bon Appetit Everyone!