Mary Berry Banana And Honey Cake Recipe

There are countless banana bread recipes out there, but this Mary Berry Banana And Honey Cake stands apart for its incredible texture and simplicity. By using the classic “all-in-one” method and incorporating a sticky honey glaze while the loaf is still warm, you get a bake that is wonderfully moist, dense without being heavy, and packed with natural sweetness. It is the perfect way to use up overripe bananas and makes for a comforting slice alongside a cup of tea.

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Mary Berry Banana And Honey Cake Recipe Ingredients

The Cake

• 100g (4 oz) softened butter (plus extra for greasing)
• 175g (6 oz) caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 ripe bananas (peeled and mashed)
• 225g (8 oz) self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp milk

The Topping

• 2 tbsp runny honey (for glazing)
• Dried banana chips (optional, for decoration)

How To Make Mary Berry Banana And Honey Cake Recipe

1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan / 350°F / Gas 4). Lightly grease a 900g (2lb) loaf tin and line the base and sides with non-stick baking parchment.
2. Mash the Bananas: Peel the bananas and place them in a bowl. Using a fork, mash them thoroughly until they are a consistent pulp. (Note: You want the bananas to be spotty and brown for the best sweetness).
3. The All-In-One Method: Mary Berry is famous for this technique. Measure the softened butter, caster sugar, eggs, self-raising flour, baking powder, and milk directly into a large mixing bowl.
4. Beat the Batter: Using an electric hand whisk (or a wooden spoon and plenty of elbow grease), beat the ingredients together for about 1-2 minutes until the batter is smooth, well-combined, and slightly pale.
5. Fold in the Fruit: Add the mashed bananas to the batter. Gently fold them in using a spatula until they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
6. Bake: Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour.
7. Check Doneness: The cake is ready when it is well-risen, golden brown, and pulling away slightly from the sides of the tin. A fine skewer inserted into the center should come out clean. (If it starts browning too quickly on top before the middle is cooked, cover loosely with foil after 40 minutes).
8. Glaze: Remove the cake from the oven. While the cake is still warm in the tin, brush the runny honey generously over the top. This soaks slightly into the crust and creates a beautiful sticky finish.
9. Cool: Leave the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then lift it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate with dried banana chips if desired.

Recipe Tips

• The “All-In-One” Success: For this method to work, your butter must be extremely soft (but not melted). If the butter is hard, you will get lumps of fat in the batter.
• Banana Ripeness: The bananas act as the main moisturizer in this cake. Use bananas that are heavily spotted with brown or fully black. Green or yellow bananas will result in a dry, flavorless loaf.
• Honey Temperature: If your honey is crystallized or too thick to brush, zap it in the microwave for 10 seconds to loosen it up before glazing.
• Loaf Tin Size: This recipe is designed for a 2lb (900g) loaf tin. If you use a 1lb tin, the batter will overflow. If you use a shallow tray bake tin, you must drastically reduce the cooking time to 25-30 minutes.
• Improving with Age: Like ginger cake, this banana loaf often tastes better and becomes stickier the day after it is baked, making it a great make-ahead bake.

What To Serve With Mary Berry Banana And Honey Cake Recipe

This loaf is perfect for “Elevenses” or afternoon tea.

• Salted Butter: A thick slice spread with good quality salted butter is the traditional way to eat it.
• Cup of Tea: English Breakfast or Earl Grey.
• Ricotta & Honey: For a breakfast twist, top a slice with ricotta cheese and extra honey.
• Custard: Serve warm as a pudding with hot custard.

How To Store Mary Berry Banana And Honey Cake Recipe

• Room Temperature: Wrap the cooled loaf in greaseproof paper and foil, or store in an airtight tin. It keeps well for 3-4 days at room temperature.
• Refrigerate: Refrigeration can dry out sponge cakes, so it is best to keep it in a cool pantry rather than the fridge unless the weather is very hot.
• Freeze: This cake freezes beautifully. Wrap the whole loaf (or individual slices) in parchment and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Mary Berry Banana And Honey Cake Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 290
• Total Fat: 10g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Cholesterol: 45mg
• Sodium: 200mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 45g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 28g
• Protein: 4g

Nutrition information is estimated per slice (based on 10 slices).

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry​ Boiled Fruit Cake Recipe
• Mary Berry​ Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe
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