Rye & Olive Oil Banana Bread

This simple yet full of flavour rye banana bread is just what you've been looking for to satisfy your sweet cravings but keeping your waist line intact. The dark rye flour provides fibre and gives this cake real depth of flavour and a wonderful colour. The sweetness of bananas requires a lot less sugar than the usual recipes and the addition of olive oil makes it rich and moist at the same time. It is perfect with a cup of tea after a walk or simply enjoyed at breakfast.

Makes: 10-12

Prepare: 15 minutes

Cook: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 35g granulated golden sugar, plus 1 tbsp
• 120ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 3 medium ripe bananas
• 60g natural yogurt
• 180g dark rye flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp fine sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease and line the a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. In a large mixing bowl, use electric beaters to whisk the eggs until pale and fluffy. Then gradually add the sugar, maple syrup and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes thick and pale. Gradually add the olive oil until everything is well combined and smooth.

2. In a separate bowl, mash 2 of the bananas with a fork, then add the yogurt; stir well to combine. In a different bowl, mix the rye flour with the bicarbonate of soda, sea salt and cinnamon. Stir the banana mixture into the egg mixture. Next stir in the flour mixture until just combined, then pour the batter into the prepared tin. Halve the remaining banana lengthways and lay it on top. Sprinkle over the remaining 1 tbsp of sugar.

3. Bake the cake for 1 hour - 1hour 5 minutes, covering loosely with foil after 45 minutes if browning too fast, until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!