There's a particular kind of weekend morning magic that happens before anyone's properly dressed. The kettle's on, the little ones are still padding about in their pyjamas, and someone's decided — loudly — that today is a baking day.
Happily, our banana bread recipe is so easy you can make it exactly then: still in your pyjamas, hair unbrushed, no need to wait. Aprons tied over the top to keep those cotton PJs batter-free, and you're away.
We're great believers in getting little hands involved. Mashing the bananas is a job made for little helpers, the excitement can be gloriously messy (let's face it, everything is messy with kids!), and there's a real thrill in being the one to scatter the blueberries. A good apron means they can dive in properly — and their pyjamas should stay clean enough to put on again at bedtime!
A few of our tips before you start
A couple of handfuls of extra fruit — blueberries, raspberries, or even some diced apricots — do more than taste lovely; they keep the loaf beautifully moist. And if you'd like to dial back the sweetness, you can: just go gently. Cut too much sugar and you'll start to lose that lovely soft crumb, so reduce a little at a time and see how you get on.
Our Easy Banana Bread
You'll need
- 140g softened butter
- 140g caster sugar (golden caster sugar is lovely here)
- 140g self-raising flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2 very overripe bananas (adding more helps when cutting down sugar in the mix)
- 1 level teaspoon baking powder
- A couple of handfuls of blueberries, or other fruit
Method
- Cream the softened butter and sugar together.
- Mix in the eggs, flour and baking powder.
- Mash the bananas, then add to the mix and stir well.
- Rinse the blueberries and add them in still wet.
- Spoon the mixture into a buttered loaf tin.
- Bake at 190°C for about 30 minutes. To check it's done, insert a knife — if it comes out almost clean, it's ready. (Or lift the tin out and give it a gentle shake; if the top stays firm, you're there too.)
Let it cool a little — if you can hold off the small, hopeful faces that long — then slice and enjoy, pyjamas entirely optional by this point.
Happy baking!