Banana bread with passionfruit butter

Photography by Mark Roper

Escape the hustle and bustle with this exotic breakfast that will satisfy your tastebuds.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1 2/3 cups (250g) plain flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
• 1/3 firmly packed cup (65g) brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 bananas, mashed

• Passionfruit butter

• 250g cream cheese
• 1/3 cup (4 tbs) good-quality lemon curd (see note)
• 1/4 cup (40g) icing sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup fresh passionfruit pulp (from about 4 passionfruit)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C and grease and line a 10cm x 20cm loaf pan. Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl, then stir in sugars and cinnamon. Add eggs, vanilla and banana and stir until well combined. Spread into prepared pan.

2. Bake for 45-50 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

3. Meanwhile for the butter, place cheese, lemon curd and sugar in a food processor. Pulse briefly until just combined (don't overwork or it'll be too runny). Add the passionfruit and pulse 2-3 times to combine. Chill until ready to serve. (Passionfruit butter will keep in a sealed container for up to 1 week in the fridge.)

4. Slice the banana bread and serve with the passionfruit butter.

Notes

• Good-quality lemon curd is available from delis and gourmet shops.