This is what happens to the bananas that we forget to eat when fresh! The browner and spottier they are, the better, because they do most of the sweetening. A few spoonfuls of honey replace the usual sugar, and oats and pecans on top bake into a crunchy, golden lid. It's one bowl and no mixer. It also makes a breakfast that both the toddlers and the grown-ups will eat, which is rarer than it should be. Slice it, freeze it, and grab a piece when you're heading out the door.

Cooking Time

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 50–60 mins (plus cooling)

Equipment needed

1x 2lb (900g) loaf tin
1x large mixing bowl
1x fork or potato masher
Baking paper

Ingredients (makes 1 loaf, about 10 slices)

115g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
3x large very ripe bananas, mashed (about 340g)
2x large eggs
1x teaspoon of vanilla extract
75g runny honey (about 3½ tablespoons)
125g plain flour
120g wholemeal flour
1x teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
1x teaspoon of ground cinnamon

For the top
2x tablespoons of rolled oats
6–8 pecan halves

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line the loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Melt the butter and set it aside to cool a little while you mash the bananas until smooth. This is a good job for little helpers.
3. Put the bananas, melted butter, eggs, vanilla and honey in a large bowl and stir until combined.
4. Add both flours, the bicarbonate of soda and the cinnamon. Fold through until there are no dry patches left. Don't overmix, because a few lumps are fine.
5. Pour the batter into the tin and smooth the top. Scatter the oats over one end and press the pecan halves gently into the other so they stick.
6. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until it's deep golden and a skewer in the middle comes out clean. Honey browns faster than sugar, so check at 35 minutes and cover loosely with foil if the top is getting too dark.
7. Leave it in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift it out and cool it completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Our tips

Not for babies under 12 months: honey can carry bacteria that cause infant botulism, so the NHS advises no honey before a child's first birthday. For younger babies, leave the honey out entirely. The bananas carry plenty of sweetness, and the result is just a bit denser and less golden.

Pecans and little ones: whole nuts are a choking hazard for under-5s. Pick the pecans off toddler slices, or chop them very finely or crush them before scattering on top. Pecans are a tree nut, so skip them if there's an allergy in the house. The oats work on their own.

Riper is better: bananas with black skins are sweeter and mash more easily, so you can get away with less honey.

Freezing: once it's completely cool, slice it, separate the slices with baking paper and freeze for up to 3 months. Toast from frozen or let a slice defrost in the lunchbox.

Storing: wrapped and in an airtight tin, it keeps for 3 days at room temperature or 5 in the fridge. It's best warmed or toasted after day two.