Banoffee Banana Bread with Caramel and Popcorn Sauce

Note: this recipe contains nuts! Cooking time: 40–45 minutes

Ingredients:

• Unsalted butter: 100g (31/2oz)
• Eggs: 2, medium
• SK Professional Self Raising Flour: 180g (61/40z)
• Light muscovado sugar: 150g (51/4oz)
• Black treacle: 20ml (4tsp)
• Baking Powder: 1tsp
• Pecans: 30g (1oz)
• Bananas: 2, ripe
• M&S Caramel and Toasted Popcorn Flavour Sauce: 45ml (3tbsp)
• Icing Sugar: 150g (51/4oz)
• Mascarpone: 250g (83/4oz)
• Salted caramel popcorn: 25g (>3/4oz)

Equipment:

• Baking parchment
• Loaf tin: 19cm (71/2")
• Mixer

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F/Gas Mark 4). Grease and line a 19cm (71/2") loaf tin.
2. Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment (or a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Once creamed, add the treacle and the eggs, one a time. Make sure to mix everything well.
4. Gently fold in 2tbsp of flour to loosen the batter. Then fold in the remaining flour, baking powder, pecans and bananas.
5. Pour half of the batter into the lined loaf tin. Drizzle 40ml (2 3/4tbsp) of the caramel and popcorn sauce on top, then pour the remaining batter into the tin.
6. Bake in the oven for 40–45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
7. Meanwhile, to make the icing, whisk the icing sugar with the mascarpone until smooth and creamy. Be careful not to overwork the mascarpone!
8. When the loaf has cooled, spread the icing on top. Finish with an extra drizzle of the remaining caramel sauce and add the salted caramel popcorn.

Recipe provided by M&S, Headline Partner of Macmillan Cancer Support’s Coffee Morning. For information on how to get involved and to sign up search Macmillan Coffee Morning or click here: Macmillan Cancer Support's Coffee Morning