Banana Cake

Chocolate and coffee gives this classic banana bread a caffeine shot twist.

 What a great way to use overripe bananas.

Ingredients

3 very ripe bananas, peeled and roughly chopped 

110g/3¾oz caster sugar (or soft light or dark brown sugar)

2 free-range eggs, beaten 

1 tbsp instant coffee, dissolved in small amount boiling water, or 1 espresso shot

pinch nutmeg (or cinnamon or 1 tbsp finely chopped stem ginger) 

pinch salt

85g/3oz unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

225g/8oz self-raising flour (or use 225g/8oz plain flour and 1 tbsp baking powder)

100g/3½oz chocolate, broken into small pieces (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5 and grease a 1 litre/1¾ pint loaf tin (or similar-sized round or square cake tin).

Mash the bananas in a bowl with the sugar, eggs, coffee, nutmeg and salt until everything is thoroughly combined.

Stir in the butter, flour and chocolate, if using.

Pour into the tin and bake for 50 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly in the tin.

Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely and then serve in slices.

Recipe Tips

If you want to make this for children, leave out the coffee.You can substitute up to half of the bananas with other soft fruit or tinned fruit, such as pears, raspberries or blueberries, or a mixture