Cathy Bramley – Conditional Love – Cathy shares a recipe

Today I’m pleased to share with you a recipe from Cathy Bramley, author of Ivy Lane, Appleby Farm and Wickham Hall. Her latest book from Corgi, Conditional Love was originally self-published but is now revamped and out in paperback, having been published on 5 November 2015. You can find out more about the book below but Cathy has kindly shared a recipe for Banana Bread.

The following recipe will feature in the back of Wickham Hall, which comes out in January. But it’s the perfect recipe for this time of year, when it’s dark outside. In fact, Bella Bosworth, a Transworld Editor, makes it for Bonfire Night!

Banana Bread

You will need . . .

175g salted butter, softened

175g sugar (half light muscovado, half golden caster sugar)

2 free-range eggs

175g self-raising flour

100g walnuts, chopped

3–4 very ripe bananas (the browner, the better)

175g dark chocolate, in chunks

* Preheat the oven to 170oC (325oF/gas mark 3). Line the base and sides of a loaf tin (20cm x 12cm) with baking paper.

* Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, one by one, to the mixture, and then mix in the self-raising flour and walnuts.

* Peel the bananas and mash them with a fork. Gently fold the bananas and the dark chocolate chunks into the mixture, taking care not to overmix.

* Scoop the batter into the prepared load tin. Bake for between 1 hour and 1 hour and ten minutes, until golden on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. This may take a little longer – if so, you can cover the top with foil to prevent it from burning.

* Enjoy with a cup of tea!

Enjoy 🙂

About the book:

“What surprises might life have in store for you?

A takeaway, TV and tea with two sugars is about as exciting as it gets for thirty-something Sophie Stone. Sophie’s life is safe and predictable, which is just the way she likes it, thank you very much.

But when a mysterious benefactor leaves her an inheritance, Sophie has to accept that change is afoot. There is one big catch: in order to inherit, Sophie must agree to meet the father she has never seen.

Saying ‘yes’ means the chance to build her own dream home, but she’ll also have to face the past and hear some uncomfortable truths…

With interference from an evil boss, warring parents, an unreliable boyfriend and an architect who puts his foot in it every time he opens his mouth, will Sophie be able to build a future on her own terms – and maybe even find love along the way?”

A totally charming, modern love story for fans of Katie Fforde, Carole Matthews and Trisha Ashley.