Reader Recipes: April’s granny’s banana bread

April said… “My nan used to make it for me and my sister every sunday and we looked forward to it every week. My nan was a frugal queen and would have loved your blog.”

Banana Bread (Serves 4-6)

225g self-raising flour
3/4 level teaspoon ground mixed spice (or whatever combination you like of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardomem, gingerbread etc)
1/2 teaspoon salt
100g caster sugar
100g butter (cut into small pieces)
1 tablespoon honey
450g ripe bananas peeled and mashed with a fork
2 eggs
Squeeze of lemon juice

Optional – chocolate drops, sultana’s, nuts inc walnuts, almonds, dates – (you can add anything that you have lying around that takes your fancy really!)

Sift the flour, mixed spice (if using), salt and sugar into a bowl. Add butter.
Beat in all the remaining ingridients, then pour the mixture into a greased 23cm loaf tin.
Bake in a pre heated oven, 180 degrees, 350 F, Gas 4 for 1 hour, then for a further 30mins at 170 degrees, 330 F, Gas 3 1/2. Take out of the oven and leave to cool in the tin before turning out and tucking in!

Tip – this is a store cupboard recipe so if you’re reasonable well stocked you should be fine. I have made it with half plain and half self raising flour before and also with all plain and a level teaspoon of bicarb so you can really play arould with it and make it your own. Also the riper/older the bananas you have to use the better the bread will be!

Enjoy,

April x

To see your favourite frugal or cheap recipe here, email it to jackmonroe@live.co.uk

Categories: Recipes & Food

6 Comments »

  1. This is brilliant, many thanks. I have some bananas I will have to use up before starting the Below the Line thingy in just over a week’s rime and I love the look of this.

    J x

    • Morning everyone,
      I made this at the weekend to have as a hot pudding with custard, and now have a lovely doorstop slice for breakfast as I write, spread with peanut butter.
      I had underestimate the weight of the two large bananas I had, so was about 100g short bananawise from your recipe but it doesn’t seem to have suffered.
      I added a broken up bar of smart price dark chocolate, and it is a really really lovely loaf. I will definitely be making this regularly. Like I said its nice as a cakey hot pudding but just as good for breakfast.
      Laura x

    • I have just made this, this afternoon. There is only 3 slices left! 2 growing boys loved it 🙂 My oven is a fan assisted and I am often aware that it can cook quicker. I do think 180 for an hr and 170 for half hr was quite a lot. I think I would adjust a little next time 🙂

    • Mine too Perdie. I’ve just turned it right down and covered it with foil. Fingers crossed it saves it as it smells amazing. Put pecans in mine.

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