A baker has revealed that adding mashed potatoes to banana bread batter results in a fluffier, tastier loaf. Stacey Doyle, from the Little Figgy Food blog, experimented with folding mashed potatoes into the cake mixture and said she "loved" the outcome.
Why potatoes work in banana bread
Stacey explained her motivation for the unusual addition: "I enjoy a gorgeous banana bread recipe and have had my fair share of experience testing them out through the years. This time, I wanted to switch things up a bit, so I added an unexpected ingredient to hopefully give it that texture I love. It worked!"
She added: "By adding in fluffy mashed potatoes, this easy banana bread recipe went from meh to wowza."
Choosing the right potatoes
The baker stressed that premium-quality potatoes are essential for this recipe. She suggests opting for floury varieties such as Maris Pipers or King Edwards.
The recipe requires just 10 minutes of preparation and one hour and 20 minutes of cooking time.
Ingredients and method
Ingredients include one cup of sugar, a quarter cup of vegetable oil, two eggs, two teaspoons of vanilla extract, two to three mashed bananas, half a teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of baking soda, two teaspoons of baking powder, two teaspoons of cinnamon, half a teaspoon of nutmeg, one and a half cups of plain flour, one cup of potatoes (peeled, cooked and mashed), and half a cup of walnut pieces (optional).
Begin by heating the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4, then grease and line a 2lbs loaf tin. Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer, combine the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and bananas. Fold in the salt, baking soda and powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and plain flour, mixing on a low setting until fully incorporated. Combine the mashed potatoes thoroughly with the mixture.
Should you wish to include walnuts within the banana bread, fold them through the banana mixture at this stage. Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf tin. For those adding walnuts as a topping, scatter them across the surface now.
Place in the preheated oven for 50 to 70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. As oven temperatures can differ, it is advisable to test whether the cake is cooked after 50 minutes and then inspect at five-minute intervals until completed.
Afterwards, allow the cake to rest in the tin for five to 10 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a cooling rack to continue cooling.
