Mary Berry Easy Fruit Loaf Food

MARY BERRY'S BANANA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Grease and line a 450g/1lb loaf tin with non-stick baking parchment.
• Use a fork to mash the peeled banana in a mixing bowl. Add the remaining cake ingredients (except the chocolate chips) and beat with an electric hand whisk until combined and smooth.
• Stir in the chocolate chips and spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Level the top.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes or until well risen, shrinking away from the sides of the tin and golden-brown.
• Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.
• For the decoration, break the chocolate into small pieces and add to a heatproof bowl.
• Melt the chocolate in the bowl over a pan of simmering water (ensuring that the bowl does not touch the water). Stir regularly, until almost completely melted, then remove from the heat. The heat of the bowl will melt any remaining lumps.
• Spoon the melted chocolate into a piping bag and pipe zig-zags across the top of the loaf. Set aside for the chocolate to set. Slice and serve.

MARY BERRY'S GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• This mix makes enough to fill 2 x standard 7inch Victoria sandwitch tins or 1 x 10inch diameter tin. Grease and base line your tin(s) with baking paper; preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.
• Gently heat the margarine, sugar and treacle together in a pan, stirring until smooth. Allow to cool a little.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and ground spices. Pour in the treacle mix and stir thoroughly to combine. Mince the stem ginger finely and stir with the eggs into the mix.
• Warm the milk gently in a saucepan, stirring gently to avoid it burning at the base of the pan. Add the bicarb of soda and let it foam a little. Stir into the gingerbread mixture until well blended.
• Pour into the prepared tin(s).
• Baking time: for 2x 7 inch cakes is 25-30mins (bake both together). For 1x 10inch cake bake for approx 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• This cake keeps really well in an airtight tin, and actually improves over the first 2-3 days. Enjoy!

BOILED FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter and line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Melt the sugar, butter and 225ml water in a large saucepan. Once melted, add the raisins, sultanas, currants and mixed peel. Bring to a gentle boil, and stirring occasionally, cook until reduced and softened, around 10-15 mins. Remove from the heat and leave to cool to room temperature.
• Tip the flour, mixed spice, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Add the cooled fruit mixture and stir, then add the eggs and mix to combine. Bake for 45-55 mins until dark brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into slices to serve.