-
1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and put a paper liner into your loaf pan (or line the bottom with parchment paper and grease the sides with a little vegetable oil).
-
2
I do the whole thing using a freestanding mixer, but a bowl and an electric whisk, or a wooden spoon and plenty of elbow grease would be fine.
-
3
Mash the bananas (and if you're not using a freestanding mixer, use a fork and a smallish bowl first, otherwise the flat paddle of a freestanding mixer will do) and beat in 1 egg at a time, followed by the yogurt or buttermilk, then the oil, and beat it all together.
-
4
I measure the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cardamom into a bowl, and whisk together, while this is going on.
-
5
Slow the speed down while you add the dry ingredients, gradually, beating all the while, and then turn the speed slightly higher again, and beat for 1 minute until all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
-
6
You may have to scrape the bowl down and give a short final beat if you notice any flour sticking to the edges of the bowl.
-
7
Then, using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the cacao nibs by hand and transfer the mixture to your prepared pan and thence to the oven for 1 hour (it is wise to start checking at 45 minutes) or until a cake tester comes out clean.
-
8
Sit the loaf pan on a wire rack and leave the banana bread in the pan until cold.
-
9
Slip it out, in its paper liner (or parchment paper), and wrap with more parchment and then aluminum foil and keep for a day - if you can - before eating.
