Chocolate and banana cake.

This is a great recipe for using up those old bananas that look a bit old and squidgy. 

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas (approx. 225g/8oz in weight after peeling)

2 tbsp lemon juice

175g/6oz butter softened

175g/6oz light muscovado sugar

2 eggs, beaten

225g/8oz self-raising flour

85g/3oz pecan nuts, roughly chopped, plus a few extra to decorate

55g/2oz plain chocolate(melted)

85g/3oz white chocolate, for decoration(melted)

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180oC/350oF/Gas mark 4. Lightly oil a 900g/2lb loaf tin and line the bottom with silicone paper. 
  
  
• Cut the bananas into rough pieces, sprinkle on the lemon juice then mash until it forms a puree. Set to one side.
  
  
• Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy then gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little flour after each addition to minimalize curdling. When all the eggs have been added, stir in the banana puree, then fold in the remaining flour. Add the chopped pecan nuts and melted plain chocolate, then stir lightly into the cake mixture.
  
  
• Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and leave until cool before removing from the tin. 
  
  
• Allow to cool completely, then drizzle the melted white chocolate across the top of the cake, and decorate with reserved pecan nuts. Serve once the white chocolate has set. 
• Cuts into 10-12.