This easy to make, one bowl mincemeat banana bread – baked as a tray bake is the perfect way to use up both over ripe bananas and that leftover jar of mincemeat.
One Bowl Mincemeat Banana Bread
This easy to make mincemeat banana bread is packed with banana, mincemeat and chocolate. Ideal to use up over ripe bananas and the remains of a jar of mincemeat.
The recipe uses one bowl, is flexible and easily adaptable.
See also
- Banana bread – my original banana loaf cake
- All my recipes using leftover mincemeat
- banana chutney is easy to make and delicious with curry
This recipe uses the melt the butter first and then stir all the other ingredients in method. No need for a mixer, all you need is a bowl and a spoon!
The quantities of mincemeat and chocolate are adaptable making this recipe perfect to finish up that jar in the fridge.
Why make mincemeat banana bread
- A delicious easy twist on traditional banana bread
- One bowl, one spoon and no mixer needed so less washing up
- Adaptable recipe, so you can use up over ripe bananas and a jar of mincemeat
- Freezable – so ideal for batch baking
Mincemeat banana bread ingredients
- Bananas – as ripe as you have – the riper they are the softer and sweeter they will be. 2 large or three smaller bananas.
- Flour – I use plain / all purpose flour and add baking powder. Self raising is also great.
- Egg – one medium to large egg.
- Butter – unsalted or salted. If using unsalted add a pinch of salt to the batter.
- Sugar – I like a light brown soft sugar for flavour as well as sweetness. You could use some dark brown soft sugar in a mix but I think it would be too intense for the bananas if you used only dark sugar.
- Baking soda – the addition of both the bananas and the mincemeat makes quite a dense batter, the baking soda helps the banana bread rise more.
- Mincemeat – whichever you have, the exact quantity can be varied, so you can finish up a jar!
- Chocolate (optional) – I have used chopped up bar chocolate here for larger chunks, a mix of dark and milk. Use whatever you prefer.
- Vanilla – I love vanilla bean paste. Always buy this or natural extract rather than artificial ‘essence’.
Helen’s Pro Tip – Vanilla
The flavour of different types of vanilla varies wildly and I think is probably the single most important thing that makes a bake great. Get to know your vanilla and adjust the quantities accordingly.
It is worth paying the extra for a good one. I have found most supermarket and cheaper big brands a false economy, as they either don’t taste good, or are so dilute you need to use loads to get any intensity of flavour.
My current favourite, which I have been using happily for well over 5 years, is Taylor and Colledge Vanilla Bean Paste (they also do bottled extract and pods).
Ripe bananas
The riper the banana the better for this recipe.
You can either just leave them for a week or so to ripen (I am not convinced that the paper bag trick works) or let them get a bit ripe, peel and then freeze them. This softens but does not sweeten them.
I went to a local convenience store which has a less than perfect selection of fresh produce (somewhere where you would never usually buy anything fresh) and found two perfectly overripe bananas, which they gave to me!
So if you want ripe bananas and don’t want to have to wait, it is worth shopping around.
If you can’t get ripe bananas then peel them and microwave for 30 seconds to soften.
How to make banana bread – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Before you start – Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3 / 160–170 °C / 325 °F, and line a 8″ square pan with baking paper.
Step One – Peel the bananas, pop into a bowl and give them a good mash.
Step Two – Put the butter in a microwave-proof jug or bowl, and melt it in short bursts. You want to melt but not heat the butter, so go gently.
Add the mashed bananas, egg, sugar, mincemeat and vanilla and stir to make a batter. Some lumps are absolutely fine.
Step Three – Add the flour, baking soda and chocolate chips.
Beat it in to form a batter, again some lumps are fine.
Step Four – Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and smooth out.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
The easiest way by far to line a tin is to cut a square of baking parchment / greaseproof paper, scrunch it into a tight ball, smooth out and line the tin and then secure at the edges with binder clips to hold it in place.
With a lined tin I also no longer bother to grease the paper, it makes no difference.
Bake in the oven for around 35 minutes until risen and golden.
You can check if the cake is done by gently pressing down the top, which will feel firm and spring back.
I find that the cocktail stick test is not that reliable as this is a dense sticky cake, so the stick will come out with some cooked batter stuck to it rather than a crumb.
Step Five – Once cooked allow to cool on a baking rack.
Step Six – Cut into squares to serve. I find 16 pieces (a 4 x 4 grid is ideal)
Variations
- The amount of mincemeat is variable – please use up that last spoonful to finish the jar. If you don’t have enough add some chopped dried fruit, or extra chocolate.
- Add some nuts – chopped walnuts are traditional, chopped almonds or hazelnuts are also delicious.
- Bake in 2lb (about 21cm / 8? long) loaf tin for around 50 minutes.
Storage
Store in a sealable cake tin and use within 5 days.
Freezer – You can freeze your banana bread but if you do, use it within 48 hours once defrosted.
Hints and tips
- Melt the butter carefully, if it gets too hot stir in the sugar and mincemeat before adding the egg, so the egg does not curdle before you add the other ingredients.
- If your bananas are not that ripe then add a little extra sugar.
FAQs – edit these
It’s just tradition, perhaps because it is normally made in a loaf shape. This is a type of cake, though a fairly wholesome one.
It may be that you take it out of the oven before it is fully baked. This is a fairly long, slow bake.
More traybake recipes
- One bowl brownies – my favourite brownie recipe with endless variations
- Mincemeat flapjacks – another way to use up mincemeat
- Mincemeat crumble bars – easy and delicious!
Mincemeat Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 75 g (2/3 stick) butter (1)
- 2 (2) ripe bananas (2)
- 100 g (0.5 packed cup) soft brown sugar
- 3 tbsp mincemeat (3)
- 1 (1) medium/large egg
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) vanilla bean paste
- 200 g (1 2/3 cups) self-raising flour (4)
- 75 g chocolate chips (5)
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) baking soda
Instructions
- Prepare – Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3 / 160–170 °C / 325 °F, and line a 8 inch square pan with baking paper. Weigh out all the ingredients so you are ready to cook.
- Mash the bananas – Peel the bananas, pop into a bowl and give them a good mash.2 ripe bananas
- Make the batter – Put the butter in a microwave-proof jug or bowl, and melt it in short bursts. You want to melt but not heat the butter, so go gently.Add the mashed bananas, egg, sugar, mincemeat and vanilla and stir to make a batter. Some lumps are absolutely fine.75 g butter, 100 g soft brown sugar, 3 tbsp mincemeat, 1 medium/large egg, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- Add the flour – Add the flour, baking soda and chocolate chips. Beat it in to form a batter, again some lumps are fine.200 g self-raising flour, 75 g chocolate chips, ½ tsp baking soda
- Transfer to the baking tin – Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and smooth out.
- Bake – Bake in the oven for around 35 minutes until risen and golden.You can check if the cake is done by gently pressing down the top, which will feel firm and spring back.I find that the cocktail stick test is not that reliable as this is a dense sticky cake, so the stick will come out with some cooked batter stuck to it rather than a crumb.
- Cook and Slice – Transfer to a cooling rack to cool before cutting.
Notes
- Butter – salted or unsalted. If using unsalted add a pinch of salt to the batter
- Bananas – 2 medium or 3 small bananas as ripe as you have. About 280 g or 220 g peeled. It really does not matter too much.
- Mincemeat – the actual amount can be varied. Add an extra spoonful to finish the jar. If you do not have enough then add some chopped dried fruit.
- Flour – I have used self raising. If you only have plain / all purpose add 2 tsp of baking powder.
- Chocolate – I generally use chopped up bar chocolate for bigger chunks. Use dark, milk, a mix or both. Chunks, or chocolate drops. It does not matter.
- Add some nuts – chopped walnuts are traditional, chopped almonds or hazelnuts are also delicious.
- Bake in 2lb (about 21cm / 8 inch long) loaf tin for around 50 minutes.
- Melt the butter carefully, if it gets too hot stir in the sugar and mincemeat before adding the egg, so the egg does not curdle before you add the other ingredients.
Video
Helen Best-Shaw
I’ve made this several times since posting the recipe – and it is equally as good without the chocolate chips!