We often have bananas that are too ripe to sell and too many to eat, so last week I offered some to our neighbour. She very kindly returned the favour by dropping off a few slices of fabulous banana bread.  I was so impressed, I asked for the recipe – it is from the Hummingbird Bakery cook book and I’ve adapted it slightly, so here’s my version below. I think the dark sugar and the ginger produce the most delicious moreish flavour, and it tastes even better after a day or two especially when spread with a little butter.

So don’t bin those sad browning bananas that are often found languishing in the fruit bowl, give this recipe a go.

Banana Bread

Makes 8-10 slices

Ingredients

170g golden caster sugar

100g dark muscovado sugar

2 eggs

200g peeled bananas, mashed

280g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

140g unsalted butter, melted

A 23 x 13-cm loaf tin, greased and dusted with flour

Preheat the oven to 170oC/325oF/Gas 3.

Put the sugar and eggs in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment and beat until well incorporated. Beat in the mashed bananas.

Add the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and ginger to the sugar mixture. Mix it thoroughly until all the dry ingredients have been incorporated into the egg mixture. Pour in the melted butter and beat until all the ingredients are well mixed.

Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and smooth over with a palette knife. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool slightly in the tin before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.