Boozy Banana Bread (adults only)

I bet you’re all sick of me posting about this banana bread.  Go on, admit it!  This will be the final time I post about it (says she) as I think the recipe has been tweaked as far as I can go.  The cake is not strictly boozy but has alcohol in it.  The flavour is subtle, giving it that extra je ne sais quoi.  I have researched this recipe and each version I see of it is slightly different.  I wanted to make it with all the elements that suited me and so, with the help of some over-ripe bananas I have been experimenting, and finally here it is.

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (160°C Fan).  Line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment (I love the loaf pan liners from Lakeland Limited)

Mash 3 large or 4 small over-ripe bananas, mix in 50ml bourbon or whiskey. I have used Jack Daniels in this one, but have previously used Jim Beam Maple, and Jamesons, all of which work particularly well with the flavour of the cake.

In a separate bowl, mix 20g cake flour with 200g milk chocolate buttons – or chopped chunks of milk chocolate.  I like Galaxy chocolate for this.  I have tried the recipe using dark chocolate, but really think milk chocolate works better here.

With an electric whisk, whisk together 2 large eggs, 80g golden caster sugar, 100g light muscovado sugar and 120ml light olive oil (or sunflower oil). Whisk till well blended, about 3-5 minutes.

Add 220g cake flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3 generous teaspoons of baking powder.  Mix together gently and then give it a good whisk again. Fold in the chocolate with remaining flour and gently mix.  Pour into loaf tin and bake for 50 minutes.

It is done when a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave in the pan for five minutes and then remove from the pan and liner and leave on a rack to cool.

Whatever you are doing, wherever you are, I hope you have a lovely peaceful weekend 🙂

 

 

Boozy Banana Bread (aka a work in progress)

I did a post a short while ago about Banana Bread for adults, and have now made a bit of progress with my recipe tweaking.  I have not reached perfection yet however…..

But I think I have now found my go-to recipe, it just needs a few more gentle tweaks. This is really the easiest banana bread recipe, although it is vamped up with chocolate and alcohol in this particular instance.  Since I found I could make it by substituting oil for butter it is just a case of slopping everything together, pouring it into the baking tin (it is a very runny batter) and baking it.  What more could I want? Slop, pour, bake, eat!

I used Jim Beam Maple bourbon, although you can use any whisky, or bourbon, or even rum…..*thinks of further recipe tweaking possibilities*

I didn’t add walnuts this time (I think pecans would be a good option), and instead of dark chocolate I used milk chocolate, and yet somehow it all worked. Give me a few more chances to tweak this and I might have something to be proud of 🙂

Banana Bread (for adults!)

I love banana bread, it’s easy to make, tastes good, uses up over-ripe bananas, and because there is fruit in it, you can kid yourself it’s good for you!

I was searching for a variation on the standard banana bread recipe, one I’ve seen in different variations, and a strictly adult version at that. Bourbon Banana Bread! This is a match made in heaven. Bourbon – or even whisky – goes so well with bananas, and it gives the bake just a little extra ooomph!

There are many recipes out there for Bourbon Banana Bread, and variations thereof, but could I find the one I wanted? Could I, heck.  In the end I picked two and decided to improvise (fatal decision, I know). I do love looking at recipes and thinking what if I added this, or replaced x with y, you get the picture? Now sometimes this works, and sometimes it is a disaster. This one was somewhere in between working and being a disaster. Hence no photograph! This is a tweaked recipe that needs further tweaking. I just can’t help myself, can I. It would be easier to stick exactly to the original recipe but…..oh, I just can’t resist.

So….watch this space. I am ever hopeful that the next version will work, and then I can proudly show you and say, look what I did *beams*.