This old fashioned banana loaf is soft, moist, and never dense in the middle thanks to a simple hot water method. Made with ripe bananas and pantry staples, it’s a foolproof recipe that delivers a light, fluffy crumb every time.
Equipment
- Loaf pan
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer or whisk
- Spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sieve (for sifting)
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 125g butter
- 3/4 cup (187.5ml) white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 eggs
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 cups (500ml) cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarb
- 1/2 cup (125ml) boiling water
- handful of pecans (roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a loaf tin and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Beat softened butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add vanilla essence and mashed bananas. Mix gently until just combined.
- Sift together cake flour and baking powder. Fold gently into the wet mixture until just combined. Do not overmix. You can also add in some of the chopped pecan at this stage.
- Dissolve bicarbonate of soda in boiling water. It will sizzle immediately. Add to the batter right away while still bubbling and mix briefly until just combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Press chopped pecans over the surface, pressing them in slightly.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes. Start checking at 35 minutes by inserting a skewer into the centre.
- Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas with dark brown spots for the best flavour and moisture
- Do not skip the hot water step. This is what prevents a dense centre
- Fold flour in gently and stop as soon as no dry streaks remain
- Start checking at 35 minutes. A skewer with a few moist crumbs is perfect.