THE SWEET BAKE

Pecan and chocolate-chip banana bread

Serves 8-10

This is one of the nicest versions of banana bread I’ve ever had and it’s perfect for vegans, or if you need an emergency bake and are all out of eggs and butter. If you don’t have a preferred vegan dark chocolate, many goodquality chocolate bars with 70 per cent or higher cocoa solids are vegan as they don’t contain any milk – just check the label if you’re unsure. — 3 ripe-to-overripe bananas, mashed (about 300g when peeled)

— 75ml olive oil

— 80g soft, dark-brown sugar

— zest and juice of

2 clementines,

— 250g self-raising flour

— 2 tsp baking powder

— 100g vegan dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids minimum), cut into small chunks

— 100g pecans,

roughly broken Preheat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas mark 4, and line a medium roasting tin or a baking dish with non-stick baking or greaseproof paper.

Whisk the mashed bananas with the olive oil, sugar and clementine zest and juice until fairly smooth, then stir in the flour and baking powder. When they just start to combine, stir through threequarters of the dark chocolate and the pecan nuts.

Smooth the batter into the prepared tin (don’t worry, it should look pretty doughy), then scatter over the remaining chocolate and nuts. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until it is well risen and a cake tester or skewer inserted in a non-chocolatey area comes out clean.

Let it cool in the tin for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack. This is best eaten warm, but will keep in an airtight tin for two or three days.