Jan 25

Jan 25 Zesty Lemon and Banana Bread

Try this light, moist banana bread for a sweet treat with a zesty twist. Served with Greek yoghurt and pistachios, it’s a deliciously different way to try a brunch time favourite.

This is easy to make and quick to mix together. You can put your feet up with a well-deserved weekend cuppa whilst you wait for it to bake. It’s also delicious the next day, sliced and toasted for a quicker breakfast and it freezes well too. Simply slice and freeze on a tray, then put into an airtight bag so you can pull out a slice whenever you feel like it.

Method

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 40 mins

You will need a 2lb loaf tin, greased and lined

Pre-heat oven to 180c/160c fan/Gas mark 4

In a small bowl, mix together the all the dry ingredients except the sugar. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until they become fluffy and lighten in colour.

Beat the eggs together in a small jug. Add the eggs to the creamed mixture a bit at a time with a couple of spoonfuls of the dry ingredients. Beat at a high speed. Keep adding the eggs until they are used up, beating the mixture all the time. Finish adding the dry mixture and beat until it is completely mixed together.

Mash two of the bananas. Fold them into the mixture with the lemon zest and vanilla bean paste until it is just combined.

Pour into the greased, lined loaf tin. Push gently into the corners and level out. I like to add a few slices of fresh banana to the top for decoration.

Place on a baking tray and put in the middle of the oven to bake. You might find you need to turn the cake half way to ensure it bakes evenly.

When it is cooked a metal skewer push inserted into the cake will come out clean. Remove from the oven.

Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then lift out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Serve with a large spoon of Greek yoghurt and some chopped pistachios.

It will keep in an airtight container for a few days.

Ingredients

140g unsalted butter

140g golden caster sugar

2 large eggs at room temperature

140g self-raising flour

1tsp baking powder

2 ripe bananas (plus 1 extra if you want to decorate the top)