Banana breads, loaf cakes & other quick bakes

60 recipes for banana breads, easy loaf cakes, and other one-bowl bakes, perfect for everyday home baking.

In 2020, banana bread had a moment. When the first lockdown arrived, anxious shoppers quickly stocked up on food, but then found themselves with cupboards full of flour and fruit bowls overspilling with rapidly ageing bananas. The answer was simple and the resulting baking craze intense!

But why stop at banana bread? There are plenty of other loaf cakes and easy bakes that you can rustle up in no time to enjoy with your mid-morning coffee or afternoon tea. A loaf cake is, by definition, made in a bread loaf pan (as its name implies) and is sometimes also known as a quick bread for that reason. These fuss-free recipes can incorporate a wide variety of ingredients, from fresh and dried fruit to nuts and seeds, and include delicious flavorings including chocolate, vanilla, and warm spices. Popular recipes included here are Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, Marmalade & Almond Bread, Lemon Polenta Loaf, Vanilla Pound Cake, Honey Cake, and so much more!