Coconut, banana & dark chocolate loaf

I am a nightmare for letting bananas get overripe – I only really like to eat them green. This is a great recipe for using those poor bananas that I haven’t got round to eating! There won’t be a huge rise on this loaf but that’s because it is super moist and packed with banana and coconut. This is a great quick cake if you are short on time. You can cover it in frosting, too, if you want to dress it up!

SERVES 8

2 ripe bananas 70g plain flour ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp baking powder 15g cocoa powder 50g unsalted butter, softened 75g dark brown soft sugar 1 large egg 1 tbsp whole milk 50g desiccated coconut 75g dark chocolate (minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids) 1 banana, cut in half lengthways TO DECORATE 25g coconut flakes 100g dark chocolate (minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids) ● Preheat the oven to 160C fan (180C/350F/ gas 4). Grease a 450g (1lb) loaf tin and line with greaseproof paper. ● Put the peeled bananas in a large mixing bowl and mash them with a fork, or beat using an electric mixer. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and cocoa powder into the bowl and add the soft butter, sugar, egg and milk. Mix until well combined using a wooden spoon or the mixer. Fold in the desiccated coconut. ● Using a sharp knife, chop the dark chocolate into small irregular pieces. Add to the cake mixture and fold in until evenly distributed. Pour into the lined loaf tin. Lay the banana halves, cut-side up, on top. Bake for 40-50 minutes – test by inserting a skewer in the middle of the loaf; it should come out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool fully. ● Place the flaked coconut in a cold frying pan and gently toast over a low heat until slightly golden. (Keep the coconut moving in the pan and watch carefully as it will brown quickly.) Tip on to a piece of kitchen paper and allow to cool. ● Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of boiling water. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the loaf, then sprinkle on the toasted flaked coconut.