Banana & Cranberry Loaf

Ingredients

• butter, for greasing
• 225g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 125g soft light brown sugar
• 2 bananas, peeled and mashed
• 50g mixed peel
• 40g chopped mixed nuts (optional)
• 70g dried cranberries
• 5-6 tbsp orange juice, keep 1 tbsp for the icing
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 150ml sunflower oil
• 85g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 orange, grated zest only

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 900g loaf tin and base-line with non-stick baking paper.

2. Sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl. Stir in the brown sugar, bananas, mixed peel and cranberries (and mixed nuts if using).

3. Stir the orange juice, eggs and oil together in a separate bowl until well combined. Add the mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly blended. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin smooth the surface.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until firm to the touch or a skewer inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean.

5. Turn out the loaf onto a wire rack and leave to cool.

6. Mix the icing sugar with a little bit of orange juice in a small bowl and drizzle over the loaf. Sprinkle the orange rind over the top. Leave the icing to set before slicing and serving.