Ingredients
- 250 g very ripe banana, weighed after peeling
- 60 g golden caster sugar
- 60 ml light olive oil or rapeseed oil
- 60 g thick unsweetened soya yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 220 g self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Small pinch of salt
- Up to 15–20 ml unsweetened soya milk, only if needed
Method
1. Prepare the oven and tin
Heat the oven to 160°C fan.
Lightly grease a 2 lb loaf tin and line it with baking paper.
Prepare the tin before mixing the batter so the loaf can go straight into the oven once mixed.
2. Weigh and mash the banana
Peel the bananas and weigh out exactly 250 g.
Mash thoroughly with a fork until it forms a thick purée with only very small soft lumps.
Do not leave large pieces of banana, as these can create wet patches in the finished loaf.
3. Mix the wet ingredients
Add to the banana:
- 60 g sugar
- 60 ml oil
- 60 g soya yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Whisk with a hand whisk or fork until evenly combined.
There is no need to beat lots of air into the mixture.
4. Mix the dry ingredients
In a separate large bowl, combine:
- 220 g self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- small pinch of salt
Mix thoroughly with a whisk or fork so the raising agents are evenly distributed.
5. Combine the batter
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Using a spatula or large spoon, fold gently until almost all the flour has disappeared.
If using walnuts, add them now and finish folding.
Stop mixing as soon as there are no visible patches of dry flour.
Do not beat or keep stirring, as overmixing can make the loaf dense and rubbery.
6. Check whether milk is actually needed
The batter should be thick, soft and spoonable. It should slowly fall from a spoon, but it should not pour.
In most cases, do not add any milk.
Only add milk if the batter is so stiff that:
- it is difficult to fold without forcing it; or
- there are dry floury areas that will not incorporate after gentle folding.
If this happens, add 1 tablespoon / 15 ml soya milk, fold gently a few times and reassess.
If it is still unusually stiff, add no more than another 5 ml.
Do not add milk simply because the batter looks thicker than an ordinary sponge-cake mixture. A thick batter is correct for banana bread.
7. Fill the tin
Immediately spoon the batter into the prepared loaf tin.
Spread it evenly and gently smooth the top.
Put it straight into the oven.
8. Bake
Bake on the middle shelf for 55 minutes without opening the oven door.
After 55 minutes, check the loaf in two ways.
Skewer test
Push a thin skewer into the deepest part of the centre, almost to the bottom.
The loaf is ready if the skewer comes out:
- clean; or
- with a few separate moist crumbs.
It is not ready if the skewer has:
- wet batter;
- shiny paste; or
- a thick sticky smear.
Thermometer test
Insert a food thermometer into the centre of the loaf, with the tip in the middle of the crumb.
Make sure the probe is not touching the bottom or sides of the tin.
Aim for a centre temperature of 95–96°C.
As a simple rule:
The loaf is ready when the skewer has no wet batter and the centre is at least 95°C.
If either test suggests it is not ready, bake for another 5 minutes, then check again.
Continue in 3–5 minute intervals if necessary.
Total baking time will usually be about 55–65 minutes.
If the top is becoming too dark while the centre still needs more time, loosely lay a sheet of foil over the top.
9. Cool
Leave the loaf in the tin for 15 minutes.
Then lift it out using the baking paper and place it on a cooling rack.
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