Banana bread had a serious moment in early lockdown. Apparently web searches for “banana bread recipe” in April soared 600 percent!
Everyone was looking for ways to feel better and comfort themselves. Baking can provide that comfort for some people. Recently I’ve done a bit of reading on why this is the case and there are multiple reasons:
- Creativity. It’s like the adult version of concocting potions – adding flavour, changing colour and forming shapes.
- Olfactory memory. Or more simply, recollecting scents, can be very powerful. The smells of baking can often remind us of happy times.
- Magic. Baking is kinda magic, isn’t it?! You mix seemingly mundane ingredients together and watch them rise and form something beautiful, that we are able to make from scratch.
- Mindfulness. We all crave routine and that’s really what’s at the root of baking. Baking has a rhythm, a certain pattern to it.
Turns out I’ve been practicing mindfulness all this time. Who knew!? Mindfulness is the quality of being aware and fully engaged in the moment. It’s believed by many to be one of the best ways to combat anxiety and depression. It sounds so obvious, but when you’re baking, you can’t help but be engaged in that moment. As I always say, baking requires precision, so a slip in your attention could screw it all up. So when it seems like the world is ending, baking a successful banana bread can make things seem a little bit better. And so we immerse ourselves deeply in the weighing, and the pouring, and the mixing, and the rolling, and whatever else your recipe asks you to do. And at the end, you’ve got a little less stress and a dozen more cupcakes.
So as many countries tighten restrictions, I think it’s time I finally write up my banana bread recipe. I also think this one is pretty special. The soured cream keeps it moist and it really is pretty difficult to mess this recipe up.
Give it a go and let me know how you get on.
Sour Cream Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 200 g light brown sugar but caster sugar also works
- 115 g unsalted butter softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 125 ml soured cream
- 215 g plain flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 225 g ripe banana About two plus an extra whole banana for decoration
- 2 tbsp demerara sugar Optional – to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Line a standard 2lb loaf tin with greaseproof paper. Preheat you oven to 180°C/160°C fan.
- Cream together your butter and sugar for 3-5 minutes.
- Add your eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl in between.
- Add the soured cream and vanilla and mix until combined. Then add your dry ingredients except the demerara sugar and mix again until just combined.
- If your bananas are actually ripe, then there's no need to mash them. Just throw them into the mixture in chunks and beat until broken into pieces and evenly distributed. If you don't like some chunks of banana though, then by all means mash thoroughly before adding.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level out the surface. Cut an extra peeled banana in half lengthways. Place the banana halves, cut-side up, on top of the batter and sprinkle with the demerara sugar.
- Bake 55-65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the banana bread comes out clean. Remove from the tin and leave cool.
- The banana bread will last well at room temperature for three days.
Enjoy, R x
Recent Comments