This brilliant banana bread is even better toasted and spread with butter. Keep over-ripped bananas in the freezer and when they defrost, they are ready to mash!
2 very ripe or over-ripe bananas (about 3/4 cup when mashed)
2 extra large eggs
3/4 cup plain, runny yogurt or buttermilk
1/2 cup light and mild olive oil
2 cups plus 2 tbs. all-purpose flour
1 cup light brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon or 1 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 cup cacao nibs
Heat the oven to 350°F and line a standard loaf tin with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a free-standing mixer (or a large bowl if mixing by hand) combine the mashed bananas with the eggs, one at a time. Add the yogurt or buttermilk and the oil and beat together. Stir in the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon or cardamom and mix well. Fold in the cacao nibs. Spread into the prepared tin.
Bake for 45 – 60 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack, then lift if out using the sides of the parchment paper. Wrap with more parchment paper, then aluminum foil and keep for a day before eating.
Cooking with Nigella 