5 reasons why banana bread is so darn a-peel-ing

February 23rd is Banana Bread Day in the US, but why should Americans have all the fun? We're borrowing the cakey occasion and celebrating with fruity lamingtons, gluten-free muffins and a choc brownie-come-banana bread that deserves the whole world's attention!

Source: Alan Benson

1. It's amenable to Aussie ideas

Just when you thought lamingtons couldn't get any better, along comes a banana bread version. Arguably these are simpler to make than the traditional sponge-based type, as banana bread is so simple to whip up.

Coconut banana bread lamingtons Source: Alan Benson

2. Match made in chocolate heaven

A trusty banana bread recipe will never let you down. Once you have your batter down-pat, there's plenty of room for experimentation. Nuts? Dried fruits? Caramel swirls? The options are almost limitless! One of our favourite pairings involves banana and chocolate. We're talking a triple-layer choc-bottom banana bread with buttons on top.

Source: Alan Benson

3. It sees the beauty within

Just as the humble winter stew is a saviour for aging veggies, banana bread is the best way to use up soft, squidgy and basically black fruit that has no place else to go. Peel them, freeze them, store them and mash them. No matter their appearance, bananas will always have a happy home in this dish.

4. Sweet enough to go sugar-free

The wonderful thing about cooking with bananas is they're naturally sweet, so no sugar is needed! You can avoid gluten too, by substituting regular flour with the coconut kind. Better still, these grain-free banana bread muffins from blogger Katie the Wellness Mama are ready in a jiffy.

5. The proof is in the pudding

Okay, we'll level with you, this isn't a banana bread, but rather banana bread and butter pudding. Thing is, the pud is so delicious we've given it an honorary mention. Melding custardy goodness with crispy bits, this baby is best topped with toasted pecans, warm caramel and a scoop of ice-cream. Its creator, Anneka Manning, tells us: “Indulgent is the one word (and possibly the only) that comes to mind when describing this dessert.”

Source: Alan Benson

And if you're feeling lazy...

You don’t have to be a baking extraordinaire to get your banana bread fix, but if all else fails, just think literally.

For some more banana bread goodness why not check out our recipes collection here.