I absolutely adore banana bread! I was delighted when I found a banana bread recipe while I was flipping through Nigella’s recipe book (thank you Goon!). Initially, I was a bit concern that Nigella added a few teaspoons of instant espresso powder in the banana bread ingredients. I was afraid that the coffee would overwhelm the banana taste but luckily it didn’t. The espresso gives the bread a nice aroma yet not too overpowering and complements really well with the banana taste.

After letting it cool for 30 minute, I couldn’t resist and took a slice. I was so disappointed with it as I couldn’t taste any banana flavor. I was thinking to myself who is going to finish the rest as I don’t like to waste my stomach space on something that taste bad. The following day, I couldn’t find anything in the house for breakfast except for the banana bread that I baked the day before. I was hungry so I forcefully took a slice for breakfast and was glad that I did as it was surprisingly good. The banana flavor intensified over night and it was super moist. I brought some to my workplace to share with my colleagues and they loved it. So, it is important to follow Nigella’s advise, let the banana bread stand for a day after baking! Italian Breakfast Banana Bread  (Yields: 8-10 slices) (Taken from Nigellissima by Nigella Lawson)

Ingredients

• 150 ml flourless vegetable oil, plus some for greasing
• 3 medium very ripe bananas (approx. 400 g total with skin on, 300 g without)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch salt
• 2 eggs
• 150 g caster sugar
• 175 g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
• 4 tsp instant espresso powder

Methods

1. Preheat oven to 170 °C.
2. Get out a 450 g deep loaf tin and line it with baking paper or lightly oil it. Banana create a non-stick bouncy surface, so don’t fret if you don’t have a liner.
3. Mash bananas with the vanilla extract and salt and then beat in the oil.
4. Beat in the eggs, one by one followed by the sugar.
5. Mix the flour with the bicarb and espresso powder, and beat these dry ingredients into the runny batter.
6. Pour batter into your prepared loaf tin, pop it into the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until slightly coming away at the sides and and bulgingly risen.
7. When it’s ready, the cake tester should come out clean, barring the odd clumps
8. Wait for a day or at least half a day before slicing into it.

Tagged: afternoon tea, banana, bread, breakfast, coffee, eggs, espresso powder, Italian, Nigella Lawson, Nigellissima, tea