Chocolate, Banana & Coconut Loaf

Serves 4 Ingredients

230g self-raising flour 160g caster sugar

160g soft light brown sugar 60g good quality dark cocoa powder 1 tsp baking powder 250ml tinned coconut milk 90g unsalted plant-based butter, melted (or same weight of vegetable oil) 110ml soya or other plant-based milk 130g very ripe banana, well mashed 60g desiccated coconut

To finish

2 tbsp plant-based butter, melted Handful of coconut flakes or desiccated coconut

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C) fan.

Weigh the flour, caster and soft brown sugars, cocoa and baking powder into your mixing bowl and give it a little mix to combine. (If you’re using a mixer, make sure it’s on low.)

Put the coconut milk in a jug with the melted butter or vegetable oil, soya milk and mashed banana. Mix with a fork, then pour it over the dry ingredients and mix gently until completely combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to make sure you’ve mixed in all the dry ingredients. Finally, stir in the desiccated coconut.

Pour the batter into the lined loaf tin and bake on the middle shelf for about 65 to 70 minutes. Test it with a skewer after 60 minutes, and if the skewer doesn’t come out clean pop it back in the oven and repeat after five minutes (you may need to do this more than once). If you like, you can brush the top of the loaf with melted butter and scatter over some coconut flakes. Put it back in the oven for two to three minutes more until the coconut is lightly toasted.

Leave to cool for half an hour or so in the tin, then lift the loaf out using the paper and set on a cooling rack to cool completely.