Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups (360g) Very Ripe Bananas, mashed
  • ½ cup (120ml) Maple Syrup (Grade A Dark or Amber)
  • 2 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
  • ½ cup (113g) Unsalted Butter, melted and slightly cooled (or coconut oil)
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 ¾ cups (210g) All-Purpose Flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda)
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • ½ cup Chopped Walnuts or Pecans (Optional)

Instructions:

  1. Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper with an overhang.
  2. Mash Bananas: In a medium bowl, thoroughly mash the ripe bananas until mostly smooth, leaving a few small lumps for texture.
  3. Combine Wet Ingredients: To the mashed bananas, add the melted butter, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk gently until just combined.
  4. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a separate, larger bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until the leavening agent is evenly distributed.
  5. Gentle Combination: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture together until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks of flour remain.
  6. Fold in Add-ins (Optional): If using nuts, fold them in quickly now.
  7. Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.
  8. Check Doneness: The bread is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with moist crumbs attached. If the top browns too fast, loosely tent it with foil.
  9. Cooling: Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.