Looking back I really should have named my blog ‘Donna Hay’s biggest fan bakes’ for that pretty much sums up my approach to cooking and blogging. And life, really.
One of the reasons I’m so enamoured with everything that Ms Hay touches is that her recipes work. Sounds simple and even logical but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve baked things that just fail. I guess we’ve all been there but Donna Hay that is a super rare occurrence.
I recently made this banana and chocolate bread to use up some squishy looking ‘nanas in the fruit bowl.
When I took it to share with my friends at work the feedback was overwhelming – everyone RAVED about it. I tried some and understood for this is a magical cake [let’s be honest, this ain’t no bread.] Make it, eat it, and tell me that you disagree 🙂
All I did was slightly reduce the amount of sugar and add some cinnamon coz that stuff is wickedly good.
GATHER:
About 3-4 over-ripe bananas, mashed
125g butter at room temperature, diced
¾ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1½ cups plain flour sifted together with
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarb soda
1 teaspoon mixed spice
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup golden syrup
100g dark chocolate, melted
LET’S GET TO IT:
Preheat oven to 160C and grease and line a 7.5cmx32.5cmx8cm loaf pan.
Place butter and sugar in bowl of electric mixer and beat for 10 minutes or until pale and creamy.
Gradually add eggs and beat well.
Fold through flour mixture, bicarb, cinnamon and mixed spice and stir to combine.
Stir in banana and golden syrup.
Place half the mixture in another bowl, add the melted chocolate and stir.
Add dollops of each batter, one at a time, to the pan and when all the batter is used, mix very gently to create a swirl.
Bake 60-70 minutes / until a skewer comes out clean.
Cool completely in pan before turning to a wire rack.
the hungry mum 
Well, that looks PERFECT! I am so busy but I definitely need to make this some day soon!
I make banana bread once a week and I am always up for trying a new recipe. I have never added lyle’s syrup before — too bad I just ran out. What is in the mixed spices though???? I look forward to trying this. Did any make it in the school lunchbox?
The lunchbox? Ha! My girls wish! The newsroom gets very hungry when deadline looms and there was not a crumb left over. Mixed spices = nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice. It is premixed & available in the baking aisle here [Sydney].
Ohhh, you’re too kind! This would be such a doddle for you to make 🙂
I’m definitely going to try this one.
Lillian
lillianscupboard.wordpress.com
Let me know what you think when you do 🙂
oooo this banana bread looks like a true winner! 🙂
and i couldn’t agree with you more, i am also a true donna fan – she has amazing recipes that never seem to fail! 🙂
It is *the* best banana bread – throw away all your other recipes 😉
Omygoodness. Banana bread never fails. Never.
It rocks the house, really.
Chocolate and banana – what’s not to love! Looks delicious 🙂
yep, it is flavour combo for the ages!
Beautiful job swirling the batters! That looks amazing! Yum!
Swirling is lots of fun! Thanks 🙂
ooh hello! That’s looking a bit delicious! Lucky work colleagues!!
Why thank you ma’am!
I have made banana bread, oh, too numerous to count… but they never look this luscious!
Thanks! I usually make a different Donna Hay one but this is the new gold standard 🙂
ok I’m so hungry now ! This looks completely crazy and so delicious !! Love it
Thanks – it is pretty yum 🙂
I can totally understand why you follow her recipes religiously, cause I agree ‘they work!’ As for banana and chocolate I always loved campfire bananas with choc bits wrapped inside (so something tells me,) I’d definitely enjoy it cake form 😉
Oh yum, this looks like the most delicious banana bread!
It is pretty damn fine!
This bread looks utterly gorgeous and decadent 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Why, thank you! You’re such an inspiration, CCU!
This looks totally delicious – I love the swirl! 🙂
Cheers! A swirl is always a good thing 🙂
Oh that looks lovely!
thanks! Goes down a treat. too 🙂
I know what you mean about donna hay – I feel exactly the same way about nigella (sometimes it gets embarrassing). great-looking recipe!
Yes, I do tend to go on and on about Donna. I got to interview her once and I’m pretty sure I held it together [would hate to ever listen to a transcript, though].
Will copy later…….. this cake looks delicious… and I love banana bread.
Thanks! This is banana bread at its very glammed up best 🙂
What a decadent bread – it looks wonderful!! 🙂
Thanks! And thanks for all the blog love x
Very moist and delicious but also a little too sweet so will cut down on the sugar and golden syrup quantities next time.
Glad you had a chance to make it.