We have a lot of walnuts - last year we harvested more than 300 kilos of them! So, we eat a lot of walnuts in both savoury and sweet dishes. This loaf is super easy to make and tastes delicious. I make it in our long loaf tins, it's easier to cut when warm, so that means you can eat it sooner!! For the ultimate indulgence, spread it with butter. It freezes well, so I always make a couple at the same time.
Ingredients 100g walnuts 125g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the tin 100g soft light brown sugar 2 eggs, beaten 200g plain flour ½ tsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp baking powder 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed 50g sultanas |  |
Heat the oven to 180C/ fan 160C/ gas 4. Tip the walnuts onto a baking tray and roast for 8 minutes until darkened and smelling toasty. Cool slightly, then roughly chop.
Grease a 900g loaf tin, then line it with a long strip of baking paper overhanging both ends to help you lift out the loaf later.
Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric whisk for 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Crack in one of the eggs, add a spoonful of the flour and mix. Crack in the second egg and tip in the remaining flour, the cinnamon, baking powder, bananas, sultanas, three-quarters of the chopped walnuts and a pinch of salt, and mix until fully combined.
Spoon the batter into the loaf tin and smooth the top with a spatula, then sprinkle over the remaining walnuts.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy x