Tuesday 4 May 2010

Banana and chocolate mini loaf

I found a gorgeous, dinky little loaf tin recently and had been wondering what to make in it first when I noticed the rather over-ripe banana languishing in the fruit bowl, a perennial problem. I also decided to use up some dark chocolate easter egg, broken into chunks. It's got to be used somehow!
Mini banana and chocolate loaf
Ingredients
60g soft butter
50g caster sugar
80g self raising flour
1 egg
2/3 mashed banana*
40g chopped chocolate

* the other 1/3 had gone black and mushy from the inside and I didn't fancy using it. It all depends on the size of your bananas I suppose. This was sort of medium, so use a small banana.

Method
A slight confession here. I have studiously written down the ingredient amounts and am copying them from the notebook on my lap. I have discovered with some dismay that I have written down neither cooking temperature nor time. So I am assuming temperature is the same as I cook everything else at, and will suggest a sensible-ish time.
- Preheat the oven to gas 4/180C. Grease and line the base and long sides of a dinky loaf tin - mine measures 15x8cm at the top, and is 5cm deep. I suppose it might be a 1/2lb loaf tin, but there wasn't a label stating the size when I bought it. It's much smaller than a 1lb loaf tin anyway.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and beat until combined then add the flour and repeat the beating until all mixed in.
- Add the mashed banana and stir through, then stir in the chocolate.
- Blob into the prepared tin and place in the oven.
- My guesstimate at cooking time is 30 minutes, but it's a case of test and see when it's done. I use a wooden cocktail stick and when it comes out clean, the cake is done.
- Remove from tin and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and eating.

Enjoy! I love making banana cakes because the house always smells so delicious while they are cooking.... mmmmm banana-ry!
Really moist with a lovely sticky top and a delicately banana-y flavour, rather than being overpowering, this was a great way of using up that nasty banana and to make a start on the remaining Easter eggs....

I'm guessing this would keep quite well, with the banana adding moisture to the cake, but because it was such a little cake I didn't get the chance to find out...

10 comments:

Beth (jamandcream) said...

ooh, I want a mii loaf tin - looks very cute

Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial said...

I am in love with my dinky little loaf tins - I keep eight and use them to bake mini Christmas cakes!

Lucie said...

I have a mini loaf tin too - but I am still to use it - I must give this a try - looks fab

Maria♥ said...

I have a mini loaf tin I bought in TK Maxx and have only used it once. These look so delish and I'm going to try these, thanks for sharing.

Maria
x

Chele said...

That looks great - I love making mini versions ... helps reduce the guilt ;0)

Anonymous said...

That looks like a good one! I have those little tins too - since Christmas and making Celia's mini christmas cakes - I use them to make small rye breads as not everyone wants to eat huge quantities of that

Anonymous said...

That looks like a good one! I have those little tins too - since Christmas and making Celia's mini christmas cakes - I use them to make small rye breads as not everyone wants to eat huge quantities of that

Choclette said...

It's almost worth baking cakes for the smell alone. I too have some mini loaf tins - 4 which I use for making christmas cake presents as well as for left over cake mix which I sometimes get when making cupcakes.

Caroline said...

Hmm, you're all making me want more than one of these tins, just so that I can do lots of mini things!

Joanna, rye bread as a little loaf sounds like a really good idea.

Chele - that's what I tell myself too - less cake equals less guilt!

Jacqueline Meldrum said...

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, lovely and I haven't had banana loaf for ages. I think adding chocolate makes all the difference to a loaf :)

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...