Vegan Banana Bread: Recipe Time

Banana bread was on everyone’s menu in lockdown. Banana bread, however, has been a firm favourite of mine since I was a child.
I remember when my mum used to bake it for me - the urge to eat the entire loaf in one sitting, not leaving a crumb for anyone else.

When I began eating vegan, I was determined to find a version that would bring me the same joy.
After a great deal of trial and error, I have landed on this recipe…


You will need:

• 3 large black bananas
• 75g margarine (most recipes recommend oil but I find the margarine gives a much lighter texture)
• 100g brown sugar
• a dash of vanilla essence (not essential but I love the sweetness)
• 225g plain flour
• 3 heaped tsp baking powder
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 50g hazelnuts (other recipes recommended walnuts but I preferred hazelnuts)

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C and grease the inside of your baking tin. I also like to line the bottom with grease-proof paper.

Mash three large black peeled bananas with a fork, and then mix in the margarine and sugar before adding a dash of vanilla essence.

Sieve in 225g plain flour, a little at a time. Once blended, add in the baking powder (with a pinch of salt to activate the aeration) along with the cinnamon and hazelnuts.

Bake for twenty minutes. Check and cover with foil if the cake is browning.

Pop it back in the oven for another twenty minutes. Dip a knife into the centre of the loaf - if it come out clean, you’re done, if it comes out gooey, bake for a further ten minutes.