Makes 10
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 25 minutes
Oven temperature: 180ºC

• 500ml (300g) self-raising flour
• 80ml (50g) cake flour
• 2,5ml bicarbonate of soda
• 125ml (110g) brown sugar
• 60ml maple syrup
• 100ml chocolate shavings
• 160ml (260g) overripe bananas, mashed
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 250ml buttermilk
• 80ml oil
• extra bananas and brown sugar for garnishing

CREAMED CHEESE FROSTING

• 30g butter, at room temperature
• 60g smooth cottage cheese
• 5ml vanilla essence
• 325ml (240g) icing sugar

1 Grease six to 12 small loaf tins.
2 Sift the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the maple syrup, chocolate and banana, followed by the egg, buttermilk and oil. Don’t overmix.
3 Divide the batter among the loaf tins and garnish with banana slices and brown sugar. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and done. Leave the loaves in the tins for a few minutes before turning them out.
4 Prepare the frosting: Cream the butter, cottage cheese and vanilla essence in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the icing sugar. Either frost the banana loaf or serve with the frosting on the side.

Words and image: Home magazine