Banana & Peaches Loaf

Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4.  

Lightly butter a 900g (23 x 13cm) loaf tin. Line the tin with baking paper making sure you have some excess paper over the sides. This makes it easier to remove the loaf from the tin.

Mash the bananas and vegetable oil together in a bowl and set aside.

Using either a hand-help or a free-standing electrical mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the mashed banana mixture until well combined.

Mix the flour, baking powder and mixed spice together in another bowl and lightly fold into the banana mixture. Add most of the peaches (reserving a tablespoon for the top) and gently fold together.

Spoon the cake mixture into the loaf tin.  Top with the reserved peaches and the dried banana chips.

Bake in the oven for 1- 1 hour 10 minutes hours, or until risen and golden-brown. Check after one hour and reduce the oven temperature slightly if the loaf is browning too quickly on the top or cover the loaf loosely with baking paper.

Allow the loaf to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.  Serve in thick slices with a mug of tea.