Banana, Hazelnut & Cocoa Bread

This is a super easy, one-bowl recipe, full of rich nutty flavours. I bought my ground nuts in France, but you can just grind roast nuts in a food processor. The cocoa swirl is quite a fun way of introducing another flavour that doesn’t overpower the bananas and is delicious with the orange zest. The cocoa stage can easily be left out to make this an even speedier bake. Chopped chocolate would be a great addition too.

This makes an extra big 2lb loaf. Reduce the recipe by 1/3 to scale it down to 1lb loaf. Make this vegan using flax eggs (3 tbsp ground flaxseed with 9 tbsp water stirred into it and left for 10 minutes).

ingredients

Makes 1 large loaf

• 4 very ripe bananas
  3 eggs or 3 flax eggs
  150ml mild olive oil or rapeseed
  Zest of 1 orange
  125g brown sugar
  1 tsp vanilla extract
  250g plain flour
  120 g finely ground hazelnuts or walnuts
  1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  1½ tsp baking powder
  ¾ tsp salt
  1½ tsp cinnamon
  2 tbsp cocoa powder

instructions

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line and grease a 2lb loaf tin.

Mash the bananas and whisk in the eggs, oil, zest, sugar and vanilla.

Combine the dry ingredients, then fold into the bananas, being careful not to over-mix.

Remove a third of the mix and stir through the cocoa. Transfer half the plain mix to the loaf tin, spoon over half the cocoa mix in random blobs, then add the rest of the plain mix, followed by the rest of the cocoa mix. Drag a butter knife through in an S-shaped motion until you have a pretty swirl.

Place in the oven for 45-55 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in tin for 15 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool. Will easily last 5 days in an airtight container.