Food / 26 February, 2026 / Ellie Thompson

The ‘Nothing Wasted’ Banana Bread Recipe

This spongy banana bread recipe is a favourite bake at Bo’ness Academy in Scotland. Every week, the school receives a delivery of ingredients from the Tesco Community Food Connection programme, which is used to make delicious food for customers at the on-site community café and in the kids’ cooking classes. Quick and easy to make, a trickle of icing and a sprinkling of banana chips make this recipe an extra special treat.

• Serves 6
• 15 mins to prepare and 45 mins to cook
• 493 calories/serving

Ingredients

• 125g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 100g caster sugar
• 175g self-raising flour
• 2 very ripe medium bananas (about 300g in total), peeled
• 2 eggs
• 100g sultanas
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 30g dried chewy bananas or banana chips (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to gas 3, 170°C, fan 150°C. Lightly grease a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with butter.

Melt the butter and sugar together in a small saucepan, stirring continuously until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the mixture into a large bowl; leave to cool for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, sift the flour onto a large plate and add a pinch of salt. On another plate, use a fork to mash the bananas well.

Beat the eggs, one at a time, into the butter mixture, then fold in the mashed bananas. Stir in the sultanas and vanilla extract. Add the flour gradually, stirring well after each addition.

Scrape the mixture into the loaf tin and bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes, until lightly golden and well-risen. You can cover the top of the loaf with foil if it looks like it is starting to brown. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mix the icing sugar with 2 tsp water to make a runny icing. Drizzle over the top of the loaf, then decorate with chewy bananas or banana chips, if using. Serve slightly warm. It will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Little help

This recipe works well with the mixture divided between 8 muffin cases, or 6 mini loaf tins. Pour the mixture between the cases or tins and bake for 25-28 minutes, until golden and risen. Leave to cool and drizzle over runny honey to serve.

Leftovers

Use up leftover bananas and sultanas as a fruity topping for porridge, or wrap in hot pancakes straight from the pan with a drizzle of maple syrup over the top.

10 Best (And Easiest) Bake Sale Recipes For School

A Week Of Healthy Lunchbox Ideas