This cake is too good. Sweet, fruity, moist with a slight (almost oaty) texture as you bite down. That texture .. is so important, don't you think? 


Nigella Lawson's Coconut, Banana & Dried Cherry Loaf


125g soft unsalted butter
4 small-medium ripe bananas (approx. 500g with skin on)
150g caster sugar
2 eggs
175g plain flour (or 170g gluten-free flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
100g dried cherries 
100g shredded sweetened coconut 

Preheat the oven to 170ºC.  Put a loaf liner into your loaf tin – I always use loaf liners, it makes life much simpler. 
Melt the butter in a saucepan, and take it off the heat.  Peel and mash the bananas in another bowl.
Beat the sugar into the cooled, melted butter, then beat in the mashed banana and the eggs. Fold in the flour, baking powder and bicarb. Finally, add the dried cherries and coconut.
Fold well so that everything is incorporated, then pour and scrape into the lined loaf tin and smooth the top.

Bake for about 50 minutes, but start checking after 45. When ready, the bread will be coming away from the sides of the tin and feel quite bouncy on top.
Once out of the oven, leave it in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire tray to cool.