Banana loaf (not a cake, not quite bread)

This week was a big one in our household. Taylor started kindy! And with that comes the joy of packing snacks and lunch that are appealing enough to actually be eaten, when the act of eating cuts into playing, learning, exploring. Taylor loves fruit, so I stocked up on pear, grapes and banana - buying more bananas than usual. Banana wasn't a hit this week though, so today I found myself with some sitting in the fruit bowl looking a little past it. But that's ok, because it means I got to make banana loaf... Hot out the oven with butter is hard to resist. We've used our 2017 Kitchen Garden extra virgin olive oil which has a fruity palate - this matches well with the banana and gives a lovely moistness to the loaf.

Here's the recipe we used:                                                    [download a one page PDF of this recipe here]     
(Adapted from 'Friends of Horicon Marsh' cookbook)
 
Ingredients
1 and 3/4 cup plain flour
3/4 cup raw sugar
1tsp baking soda (bicarb soda)
1/2tsp salt
1 cup mashed banana
2 Tathra Homestead free range eggs 
1/2 cup Tathra Homestead 2017 Kitchen Garden extra virgin olive oil 
1/4 cup Jersey Fresh milk
1tsp vanilla essence 
 
Method
1. Heat oven to 180C 
2. In one bowl mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt
3. In a second bowl mix mashed banana, eggs, milk, olive oil and vanilla
4. Add wet mixture into dry mixture bowl and stir until combined
5. Pour mixture into loaf tin which is lined with baking paper
6. Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean
                    [Baking time in our fan-forced oven, may vary in your oven]

We let the loaf cool on the rack for about 5 minutes before diving in with butter slathered on our slices. The kids love it, and because of the extra virgin olive oil in the recipe, the loaf doesn't dry out quickly so will be perfect for lunchboxes this week (if it lasts that long!).

This recipe makes a loaf that is about 5cm tall.

Quick, easy and delicious banana loaf (banana bread). Enjoy!