Mash up your overripe bananas to make this lovely loaf cake that’s been given a makeover with toffee sauce and nut brittle
FOR TEATIME OR DESSERT
Sticky toffee banana bread
The dates in the mixture give it a jammy sweetness reminiscent of sticky toffee pudding, so you could even enjoy slices with ice cream or custard for dessert. This can be left un-topped and spread with butter for breakfast too! Have a go at making the brittle and sauce or cheat and buy it instead.
■ Serves 10 ■ Prep 25 mins plus cooling ■ Cook 1 hr 15 mins undecorated
125g soft butter, plus extra for the tin 75g caster sugar 50g dark brown soft sugar 3 medium eggs 2 large ripe bananas, mashed 50g natural yogurt 200g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 50g pitted dates, chopped 50g pecans or walnuts, chopped FOR THE TOFFEE SAUCE (optional) 100g light brown soft sugar 25g butter, cut into cubes 100ml double cream nut brittle (see opposite) or shop-bought peanut brittle, to serve
1 Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter and line a 900g loaf tin with a strip of baking parchment.
2 Beat the butter and both sugars in a bowl for 5 mins with an electric whisk until fluffy. Whisk the eggs, bananas and yogurt in a separate bowl until mostly smooth, then whisk this into the butter and sugar mixture. Fold in the flour and baking powder until just combined, then fold in the dates and nuts. 3 Spoon into the tin, smooth the top and bake for 1 hr-1 hr 15 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then lift out using the strip of parchment. You can serve it warm now, or leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Will keep for four days in an airtight container.
4 Meanwhile, make the toffee sauce, if you are not buying it. Put the sugar in a heavy-based frying pan and melt over a medium-low heat until light golden brown and liquid – don’t stir, just tilt the pa
