More Banana Bread

In much the same way as my collection of choc-chip cookie recipes got totally out of hand for a while, so too has my banana bread collection. But... I couldn't resist just one more which is why I gave this one a try. And boy, am I glad I did. This little treasure gives my regular favourite a run for it's money! It's really good served at room temp but serve it warm from the oven with yummy melty butter on it and it is divinely awesome!

I didn't have any mixed spice so turned to my favourite research tool - Google - to find out what was in it and bodged together something similar. I used a mix of ground cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and it worked fine. Oh, and the honeycomb palaver? I gave that a miss.

Banana & Honey Loaf

from recipes+ magazine, September 2009

1/3 cup clear honey

100g butter, chopped

1 cup mashed bananas (2 large bananas will do it)

1/3 cup caster sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup milk

1 cup wholemeal self-raising flour

3/4 cup white self-raising flour

1 teaspoon ground mixed spice

butter and honeycomb to serve

1. Preheat oven to 160C. Grease and line a 19x9cm (base measurement) loaf pan with baking paper, extending paper at long sides for handles.

2. Combine honey and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until melted.

3. Combine banana and sugar in a large bowl; stir in egg, milk and honey mixture. Stir in sifted flours and spice.

4. Spoon mixture into prepared pan; smooth surface. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted at centre comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes; turn out onto a wire rack. Slice loaf; serve warm, topped with butter and honeycomb.