Banana Brake {Bread + Cake = Brake}

Banana Bread is one of my favourite things to make and eat! It is something that everyone in the family loves and something that I make regardless of whether I am {trying} to diet or not. Not that I diet, but I do try to eat things in moderation. I even eat things in moderation, in moderation - it's a vicious cycle!

Usually, I always have the ingredients for this in the cupboard, so if I am feeling like a sweet treat that's not too indulgent, it's my go-to thing to make. Also, if I have some bananas in the fruit basket that are going to go black, I throw them in the freezer to use at a later date.

I have experimented with this recipe for the last seven years and in several different ways. I've attempted the low fat to no fat versions - and they were ok, but this is - in my opinion, the perfect recipe for Banana Bread and it will leave all the others that you have tried for dust - even Starbucks, Gloria Jeans and Gosh Coffee! 

So why do I call it a Banana Brake? Well, the title is pretty self explanitory. It's not a bread and is in fact more like a cake, but I beleive that cakes should be frosted so for arguments sake, we'll call it a Brake. Or if you prefer, you could live on the edge and call it a Cread {Cake + Bread = Cread} - but that doesn't sound like it should be eaten, now does it?! 

Mini Banana Brakes! 

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/4 cup ripe bananas - mashed 

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice{this is to keep the bananas from going brown, but as I use bananas that I have frozen, they are brown anyway!}
• 1 3/4 cup flour 
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar - packed 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 2 eggs 
• 1/3 cup buttermilk 
• 1/4 cup oil 
• 1/2 cup apple sauce 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1 1/2 tbs Cinnamon 
• 1 cup chopped walnuts 

I'm not a fan of washing up {no, I dont have a dishwasher at my place} so I try to use only the essential utensils.

Mash the bananas and mix everything together in a bowl, as you would for any other cake. Pour the mix into a greased loaf tin and sprinkle a few walnuts on the top. 

Bake in an oven on low to medium heat, or at 180° for 35 - 45 minutes, depending on your oven. I say this because all ovens are different and since you are the one who cooks with it, you know it better than anyone else.

The last few times that I've made this, I've divided the mix amongst four small, greased, aluminium loaf tins. They took half the time to cook and I ended up freezing two of them - which I still haven't eaten yet! 

Leave to cool on a cake rack or eat warm with some cinnamon butter {1 tbs butter, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp vanilla sugar, mix together, spread on warm Banana Brake}... and, enjoy!!