Mary Berry described her banana bread recipe as “lovely” because of its “well-risen, light-textured [and] moist” bake.
Said to “please the family”, Mary Berry’s banana bread has a wonderful crunch to it thanks to the seeds and sugar topping.
The iconic baker’s banana bread recipe makes two loafs, with one loaf making the perfect gift for friends, family, or a neighbour.
Meanwhile, the other loaf can be enjoyed at home, especially with a lovely cup of tea or coffee – or frozen, if you so wish.
Here’s how to make Mary Berry’s seed-topped banana bread recipe that will be a crowd pleaser.
Mary Berry’s seed-topped banana bread recipe
Makes: two cakes, each serving six people
Cook time: 30 to 40 minutes, plus cooling
Ingredients:
100g baking spread, plus extra for greasing
150g muscovado sugar
200g self-raising flour
One tsp bicarbonate of soda
Two eggs
Two medium ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
For the topping:
25g pumpkin seeds
25g sunflower seeds
One tbsp demerara sugar
Equipment
Two 450g loaf tins
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4, then grease the tins with baking spread and line with baking paper.
Measure the baking spread, sugar, flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl, add the eggs and bananas and beat with an electric hand whisk until light and combined.
Spoon the mixture equally between the prepared tins and level the tops. Sprinkle over the seeds and demerara sugar.
Bake both cakes on the middle shelf in the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes or until well risen, golden and a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then turn out on to a wire rack and peel off the baking paper before leaving to cool down completely.
My bananas have blackened, are they still OK to use?
Mary Berry said: “Never throw out even the blackest of bananas. The riper they are, the softer and more flavour they have.”
I only want to make one loaf of banana bread
That’s OK! To make one loaf of banana bread, use a 900g loaf tin instead of the two 450g loaf tins and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, instead of 30 to 40 minutes.
You don’t need to eat the banana bread on the day it’s made either, as long as you keep the banana bread in an airtight container.
