Banana bread is a staple in many a baking repertoire- it’s simple, tasty and for some reason one of the only cakes deemed acceptable to eat for breakfast (what’s not to like). My version calls for wholemeal spelt flour, making it nutty in flavour and a little courser in texture than a regular banana bread; delicious when paired with the walnut crumble topping!

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 175g soft brown sugar
• 75g melted butter
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 200g wholemeal spelt flour
• 2tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 1tsp mixed spice
• 1tsp ground ginger

For the crumble topping:

• 50g spelt flour
• 25g soft butter
• 25g soft light brown sugar
• 1tsp mixed spice
• 75g chopped walnuts

 Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170c. Grease and line a loaf tin.
2. Place the eggs, sugar and butter in a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk until thick, pale and voluminous then fold in the mashed banana.
3. Add the dry ingredients (flour, spices, salt and baking powder) and fold again until well combined. Tip the mix into the prepared loaf tin and level out.
4. For the crumble topping, rub together the butter, flour, sugar and mixed spice between your fingers until they resemble course crumbs, then stir in the chopped walnuts. Sprinkle this liberally over the top of the banana bread and bake for 45-55 minutes until well risen and a skewer comes out clean when inserted.
5. Serve warm or cold, on it’s own or with cinnamon butter, creme fraiche or yoghurt.

Enjoy!