Earl Grey Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 3 Earl Grey tea bags
• 3 tbsp hot water
• 240g ripe banana, mashed (about 2 medium)
• 90g coconut sugar
• 50g cane sugar
• 80g neutral oil (like canola or sunflower)
• 70g plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 185g all-purpose flour (or 120g all-purpose + 65g spelt flour)
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 3 tbsp vegan butter, softened
• 1.5 tsp matcha powder
• 120g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1-2 tsp plant milk, infused with Earl Grey

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) fan setting. Grease and line a standard 9x5 inch (23x13 cm) loaf tin with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Open the Earl Grey tea bags and empty the leaves into a small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of hot water, stir, and set aside to infuse for at least 10 minutes.

3. 3

   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, coconut sugar, cane sugar, neutral oil, dairy-free yogurt, and vanilla extract until well combined.

4. 4

   Whisk the infused Earl Grey tea mixture (including the tea leaves) into the wet ingredients.

5. 5

   Sift the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt directly into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few streaks of flour are okay.

6. 6

   Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the top. Bake for 55-57 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

7. 7

   Let the banana bread cool in the tin for 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. This can take about an hour.

8. 8

   While the bread cools, prepare the matcha butter. In a small bowl, beat the softened vegan butter with a fork or small whisk. Sift in the matcha powder and mix until smooth and uniform. You can transfer it to the fridge for 15-20 minutes to firm up slightly if desired.

9. 9

   To make the glaze, first infuse your milk. Gently warm 2-3 tablespoons of plant milk with a bag of Earl Grey tea for 5-10 minutes, then discard the bag. In a small bowl, sift the icing sugar. Add 1 teaspoon of the infused milk and whisk until smooth. Continue adding milk, a tiny bit at a time, until you reach your desired drizzling consistency.

10. 10

    Once the loaf is completely cool, drizzle the Earl Grey glaze over the top. Allow the glaze to set for about 10 minutes. Slice and serve warm with a spread of the matcha butter and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, if desired.