Having your cake and eating it! So the old saying goes and this version gives you a delicious afternoon tea tasty treat that you can ‘dress up’ with preserves or eat on it’s own. 

Ingredients

8-10 slices

175g plain flour

50g polyunsaturated margarine

50g sugar (granulated or castor)

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 egg, beaten

3 very ripe bananas, peeled and smashed together

Method

• Preheat the oven to gas mark 4, 200°C electric.
• Line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper.
• Put the margarine and sugar in a bowl and cream together.

Dawn: To cream together is to mix the ingredients into a light, fluffy-looking consistency. 

• Beat the egg into the margarine and sugar mixture until all three ingredients are combined. Then add the bananas, a little at a time until they are incorporated into the mixture.
• Next, add the bicarbonate of soda and the flour, sifted together.

Andrew: If you sift the flour, it adds to the lightness of texture of the loaf. 

• Pour the mixture into the lined loaf tin and place in the centre of the oven to bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown in colour.

Dawn: To test to see if the loaf is baked, simply push a knife blade into the centre and if it emerges clean, the loaf is baked. If there’s googey mixture on the blade, the loaf needs baking a little longer. 

• Serve warm or cold.

Andrew: The riper the bananas, the sweeter tasting they are. 

Dawn: Yes, so if the bananas you are using are super ripe, you may decide not to add sugar to the recipe. 

Andrew: Afternoon tea! Served traditionally at 4pm with cucumber sandwiches, jams, creams, scones.

Dawn: Simply lovely! In some places in the world, this tradition is still maintained such as Barbados. 

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