One-Bowl Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 3 very ripe bananas (brown and spotty)
• 80g melted butter
• 150g sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 190g plain flour
• Optional: 60g walnuts or chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
2. Mash bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth. A few lumps are fine.
3. Stir in melted butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla.
4. Add baking soda, salt, and flour. Mix until just combined — don't overmix or the bread will be tough.
5. Fold in walnuts or chocolate chips if using.
6. Pour into the loaf pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Notes

The bananas must be overripe. If they're still yellow, they don't have enough sugar or moisture and the bread will be bland. Freeze overripe bananas until you have enough — they mash perfectly from frozen once thawed.