For the best results, use overripe bananas! This one-bowl banana bread is straightforward and effortless, and extra decadent when smeared with a layer of syrup.
Yield: Serves 10
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 60 mins
Difficulty Level: 2/5
Ingredients
- 5 kid-size (550 g) over-ripe bananas
- 150 g butter, melted
- ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup (90 g) golden syrup, plus 1 tbsp extra
- 2 eggs, beaten lightly
- 2 tsps vanilla bean paste
- 1½ cups (225 g) self-raising flour
- ½ cup (75 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (125 ml) milk
- ¾ cup (85 g) walnuts, roasted, chopped coarsely
- 2½ tbsps demerara sugar
- Butter, to serve
Steps
01. Preheat oven to 160 C. Grease a 12.5 cm x 25.5 cm loaf pan (2.25 litres/9 cups); line base and long sides with baking paper, extending the paper 5 cm over the sides.
02. Mash 4 of the bananas in a medium bowl; you will need 1 cup mashed banana. Add melted butter, brown sugar, golden syrup, egg and vanilla to the mashed banana. Using a wire whisk, stir until combined. Fold in combined sifted flours and cinnamon. Stir in milk and walnuts until well combined. Spoon mixture into pan; smooth the surface.
03. Place demerara sugar on a plate. Cut remaining banana in half lengthways; coat in sugar. Place banana, cut-side-up, on mixture; sprinkle with remaining sugar from plate.
04. Bake for 1 hr (cover loosely with foil if it starts to overbrown) or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave in pan for 10 mins then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
05. Combine extra golden syrup and 2 tsps boiling water in a small bowl; brush over top of loaf. Serve sliced with butter.
Banana bread will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
TIP Roast walnuts on an oven tray in the oven for 10 minutes while preparing the pan and batter.
Photo: bauersyndication.com.au