I am back from my sojourn at the house of my girlfriend laden with frugal recipes cheap enough to make one’s mind boggle. Seriously, this is the only place where describing something as ‘cheap’ would go down well, and I like that. I really have been a busy-bee for the past few days – I’ve been walking, cycling, cooking and snaffling free plums from trees overhanging their owner’s garden walls. As a result you can expect recipes for plum chutney and plum muffins to appear over the coming days – they are seriously good.

This recipe is a really good way to use up those old bananas hanging around the kitchen that aren’t particularly good to eat any longer. In fact the browner the bananas used in this recipe the better, if they are green it won’t work quite as well – but don’t let that stop you by any means. The other ingredient which really makes this recipe perfect is a good quality dark chocolate – that is, 70% cocoa or above. Using a chocolate below this quality or a milk chocolate wouldn’t spoil this recipe; however the darkness of the chocolate really needs to counteract the sweetness of the sugar and bananas. I also find dark chocolate to be harder to melt than milk chocolate, therefore it will hold together better during the cooking process so one really gets the taste and texture of the chocolate.

This cake did prove really popular – it disappeared in only a couple of days with only a small handful of people eating it. I don’t know why banana cake is so universally loved, perhaps it is the fact it is slightly more healthy and filling than a standard sponge, or perhaps it is the more pleasing and moist texture fostered by the inclusion of banana. Whatever it is, this cake is seriously good – you’d be a fool not to try it! Not that those of you who don’t are fools.

Chocolate and Banana Loaf Cake {recipe}

Makes 1 2lb loaf tin cake

Ingredients:

• 230g/8oz self-raising flour

• 115g/4oz butter or spread

• 170g/6oz caster sugar, granulated would do

• 2 eggs

• 3 ripe bananas, the more ripe the better

• 100g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa or above, cut up into small chunks

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C and grease a standard size 2lb loaf tin.

2. Mash together the bananas in a bowl. In a separate vessel cream together the sugar and the butter like one would with a normal sponge cake, then crack in the eggs mixing them in one by one. Mix these together and fold in the flour and chocolate.

3. Spoon this into the loaf tin and cook for 40 minutes, before turning the oven down to 150C and cooking for a further 30 minutes.

Cost: This entire cake should cost around £2 to produce. I think this is a real bargain considering its quality and popularity. Really one to try at home!