Banana, Strawberry, Mandarin and Milk Chocolate Chip Bread

Recipe variation — strawberry, mandarin and milk chocolate. A fruit-and-chocolate variation in our banana bread collection. See our classic Banana Bread and blueberry, peanut butter and Nutella variation.

Two ripe bananas, fresh strawberries, fragrant mandarin zest and milk chocolate chips come together in this family loaf.

One loaf · Approximately 8–10 slices · 15 minutes preparation · Estimated 50–60 minutes baking

Ingredients

2 ripe medium bananas
100 g fresh strawberries, diced and patted dry
80 g Cadbury milk chocolate baking chips, plus a few extra for the top if desired
Finely grated zest of 1 mandarin
200 g self-raising flour
50 g plain or wholemeal flour
100 g butter, melted and slightly cooled
100 g raw, brown or white sugar
2 eggs
3 tbsp full-fat yoghurt or milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan-forced. Grease and line a loaf tin with baking paper, leaving overhang for lifting the loaf.
Rub the mandarin zest into the sugar with your fingertips for about 30 seconds. Mash the bananas in a separate bowl.
Beat the eggs with the scented sugar. Mix in melted butter, mashed bananas, yoghurt or milk and vanilla.
Combine both flours, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Fold into the wet mixture gently, stopping as soon as the dry flour disappears.
Dice and pat dry the strawberries. Dust with a teaspoon of flour taken from the measured quantity. Gently fold the strawberries and chocolate chips into the batter.
Spoon into the lined tin, smooth the top and scatter a few extra chocolate chips over it if desired.
Bake on the middle shelf at 170°C fan-forced. Start checking at 45 minutes; allow approximately 50–60 minutes, depending on the oven and tin. A skewer inserted in the centre away from fruit and chocolate should show no wet batter; moist crumbs are fine. Cover loosely with foil if browning too quickly.
Leave in the tin for 15 minutes, then lift onto a rack to cool.

Baking time is approximate and varies with the oven and tin. A wide loaf tin produces a shallower loaf.