This Awesome Ginger Banana Bread is such a great recipe. It uses 6 or 7 bananas, depending on size. That many bananas provide a really intense banana flavour. The recipe also uses ground ginger and crystallised ginger. That provides a light, sweet, spicy hit to the banana bread. However we don’t stop there, since we include some chopped walnuts too. They give extra flavour and texture.
The method used to obtain the maximum flavour from the bananas is to microwave them. Then the liquid released is boiled to reduce it substantially into a sweet and intensely flavoured syrup. Then the syrup is added back into the bananas.
The recipe is easy to make and delivers a lovely moist and flavoursome quick bread. It does take a little time. But each of the steps is easy. On top of the batter I placed slices of banana. Then, just to finish it off, I sprinkle over some demerara sugar too.
I delivered some to my niece who quickly texted me to say that it was very good indeed. I left a few small lumps of banana in my mixture. However if you prefer a smooth mixture just process the banana mixture.
My Bake
I baked my ginger banana bread for 68 mins. Until a skewer poked into the centre came out clean. In the recipe I give a spread of time to bake. I recommended between 50 and 70 minutes. I tested at 50 minutes. Then again at 55 and 60 minutes. At 65 minutes it was almost baked. Three minutes later my skewer test came out clean.
I took it out of the oven. I left it in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring the bread to a wire rack to cool completely.
Then I sliced the ginger banana bread and tasted it. The flavour was so rich and enticing. It was moist and sweet, with a gently hit of ginger. The walnuts added flavour and texture. All in all it was a wonderful quick bread.
For another quick bread recipe why not try Dutch Spiced Breakfast Bread
Awesome Ginger Banana Bread
Course: Bread, CakesDifficulty: Easy10
servings40
minutes1
hour10
minutesIngredients
250g(1 2/3 cups, based on scooping packed flour into a 250ml cup) plain flour
113g(1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1kg(2.2 lbs) bananas – that is 6 or 7.
2 medium eggs(large in USA)
150g(3/4 cup, packed) soft light brown sugar
4 g(1 tsp) baking powder
3g(1/2 tsp) salt
3g(1 tsp) ground ginger
5ml(1 tsp) vanilla extract
40g(1/4 cup when sliced and diced) crystallised ginger
55g(1/2 cup) roughly chopped walnuts – optional
25g(2 tbsp) demerara sugar
Directions
- Grease a 2lb/900g loaf pan, and line it with parchment paper too, if you wish.
- Set aside one large banana and peel the remainder and place them in a microwave safe bowl.
- Microwave the bananas for 5 to 6 minutes, until they have softened and released quite a lot of liquid.
- Drain the liquid into a small saucepan and place the bananas into a sieve and leave them for about 15 minutes to release more liquid. Stir a couple of time and press down to help liquid drain out.
- Put the bananas into a large bowl and boil the released liquid for as long as it takes to reduce the amount to 60ml(1/4 cup).
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/350F.
- Pour the liquid back into the bananas and mash them until they are broken up with only small lumps remaining(you can process the bananas to a smooth puree if you prefer).
- Add the eggs, melted butter and vanilla into the bananas and whisk until fully combined.
- Put the soft light brown sugar in and whisk again until combined.
- In a large bowl place the flour, ground ginger, baking powder and salt and mix thoroughly until well combined.
- Stir in the crystallised ginger as well.
- Pour the wet mixture onto the flour and fold in until the flour is just about fully incorporated.
- Add the walnuts and continue to fold until well distributed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread all over the base and level the top.
- Slice the remaining banana and place the slices onto the batter, down the long sides of the pan, overlapping each slice.
- Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the top.
- Bake in the oven for between 50 and 70 minutes, testing with a skewer. When the skewer comes out clean the ginger banana bread is baked. Bake for longer if necessary.
- Remove the ginger banana bread from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
hiya Geoff…. I’m falling waaaayyy behind with my baking. We’ve been working in the yard and now it has turned too hot to turn on my stove. I may mix up something soon, but will do your trick and drag out my toaster oven… take it into the garage on the counter and bake in there instead of heating up the house.
The apricot scones sound really yummy too… too much baking, so little time! I need a garden gnome that will work in the yard or something…. don’t tell anybody I said that out loud, it’s probably not politically correct!
Hi Veronica. I missed your comment. Since then we have had some extremely hot weather but, ever the trooper, I soldiered on and got more videos online. Gnomic helpers are always a good idea, if you can motivate them.