Mincemeat Banana Bread

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A close up of the finished bake which is still warm showing a melted chunk of chocolate

5 from 1 vote

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.

Servings: pieces

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time5

Cook Time35

Total Time40

Ingredients

75 g butter - 1
2 ripe bananas - 2
100 g soft brown sugar
3 tbsp mincemeat - 3
1 medium/large egg
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
200 g self-raising flour - 4
75 g chocolate chips - 5
½ tsp baking soda

Metric - USA Cups

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

Ingredients

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.

Variations

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.

Storage

Store in a 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.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.