For the past few weeks I have been loving watching the leaves change into gorgeous reds and yellows. Not to mention, I can finally break out my comfy scarf collection, now that there’s a nice chill to the air. Last week I happened upon the Spitalfield Market in London and kind of went scarf crazy! They have the biggest, comfiest, prettiest scarves to choose from… I couldn’t resist.

As the days are getting shorter (as in, really short: it’s dark by 3.45pm in London!) and the air is getting cooler, I need my scarves, my sweaters, my cup of tea, and nice warm cinnamon-y banana bread. Okay… banana bread isn’t a make or break for my autumn mornings, but it is oh-so-good and tastes great for breakfast or for a snack, and just feels like autumn with the nutmeg and spices the recipe calls for.

I have mentioned it before, but I feel compelled to reiterate that I am not a fantastic baker. I struggle with exact measurements, which it turns out, is fairly important when making cakes or any baked goods. I also don’t really like sweet things, so I’m not fighting back the urge to make cakes all the time anyway. Although, I do have a weak spot for my chocolate cake recipe but even still that’s usually for birthday celebrations or when I have guests over.

Sometimes though I get major cravings for banana bread, because that stuff is the perfect answer to people like me. It’s super easy to make (read: hard to mess up) and you can tweak it to be as sweet (or not) as you like. It keeps for several days, and makes the perfect addition to breakfast, or for an afternoon snack. If you’re like me and appreciate all of the above and have a few over-ripe bananas that you’re trying to salvage, then look no further: this recipe is for you.

Wet ingredients

• 3 bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 medium eggs

Dry ingredients

• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• A dash of nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

2. Prepare your baking dish (I use a bread mold) by buttering the edges or placing parchment paper.

3. Combine all dry ingredients in one bowl, and wet ingredients in a separate bowl.

4. Next, fold your wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring well to get a uniform mixture.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
Note: if your oven is crazy like mine, then the top might start to brown way too soon. In this case, just cover it with a piece of aluminium foil.