Banana Bread

I do like bananas... in case that wasn't already gathered. If, like me, you enjoy cooking with this fruit, have a look at my banana milkshake or banoffee pie recipes, though at only 168 kcal per serving, this is a slightly healthier alternative dessert or lunch, even with a chocolate orange topping. 

Banana bread
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves: 17
Cooking temp: Gas 4, 180C
Cooking time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients 
140g margerine
140g golden caster sugar
2 large eggs
140g self-rasing flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 very ripe bananas
100g rasins (optional)
1 orange (optional)
To decorate
Dried banana chips
Splash of milk
Few pieces of good quality dark chocolate
Orange essence or orange juice
Cocoa powder

Method (note - the photos are from a half-sized verision, using a 1 lb (1/2 kg) loaf tin. To create this bread instead, just half all ingridients and cook for five minutes less)

1. Preheat the oven.
2. Butter a 1kg loaf tin and line with baking parchment.
3. In a small bowl, gently heat the margerine (on a hob or in a microwave) until softened, but not melted.
   
4. In a larger bowl, cream this together with the sugar until fluffy.
   
5. Beat the eggs with a fork in a seperate cup and slowly pour into the butter mix, stirring at the same time.
   
6. At the same time, add the flour and baking powder.
7. Stir togther, but do not overmix.
8. Peel the bananas and mash, then add to the bowl along with the rasins.
9. Grate half the zest of the orange into the bowl and stir.  Keep the rest of the orange for now.
   
10. Pour the mix into the tin and bake for 30-40 minutes in the centre of the oven, until a cake skewer comes out clean.
    
11. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.
    
12. To decorate: melt the chocolate over a pan of boiling water.
13. Add some orange extract and milk, or orange juice to a good spreading consistencey (if you use the juice, you probably won't need the milk)
    
14. Spread the orange chocolate over the cake and grate some more of the zest of the orange over.
    
15. Decorate with banana chips.
    

Alternative toppings:

Plain icing (as in, icing sugar with water)

Honey

Chocolate drizzle

Orange frosting (as in, tiny bit of orange juice and sugar)

None (obviously)