Name: Spiced chai banana bread
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: Serves 8-10
Ingredients: 50ml olive oil, plus extra for the tin; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 2 tsp ground ginger; ¼ tsp ground nutmeg; ¼ tsp ground cardamom; a few grinds black pepper; 2 black tea bags; 225g plain flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 50g crystallised ginger; 250g very ripe (weighed without skins) bananas; 150g greek yogurt; 175g soft light brown sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 tsp vanilla bean paste; 75g milk chocolate, melted; 50g banana chips; 25g crystallised ginger

50ml olive oil
plus extra for the tin
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cardamom
a few grinds black pepper
2 black tea bags
225g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
50g crystallised ginger
250g very ripe (weighed without skins) bananas
150g greek yogurt
175g soft light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla bean paste

DECORATION (OPTIONAL)

75g milk chocolate
melted
50g banana chips
25g crystallised ginger

Method

step 1
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly oil a 900g loaf pan and line with baking paper. Put the oil into a small pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the spices and tea leaves (removed from the tea bags) and cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices. Remove and set aside.
step 2
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and ½ tsp of salt in a medium bowl. Add the diced ginger and toss to combine. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork then whisk in the yogurt, sugar, eggs, vanilla and oil mixture, whisking until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and use a spatula to mix until just combined.
step 3
Pour the batter into the tin and gently level out. Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool until just-warm in the tin, then lift out and onto a plate.
step 4
To decorate, if you like, drizzle over the melted chocolate and top with the banana chips and crystallised ginger.