“What would you like for Mother’s Day?” my children asked. I replied in the same way that I do every year… “I would just like everyone to listen and to behave”. Every mother’s repetitive wish! Flowers and gifts are gorgeous, but a day without little ones quarrelling over menial things as which Marvel superhero is the strongest (It’s Thor by the way, simply because of what Chris Hemsworth brought to the recent role), or teenagers attempting to negotiate weekend chores, a social life and study. Drama, drama! Can we have one day, perhaps Mother’s Day without any drama at all?  And perhaps a sleep-in wouldn’t hurt. Imagine if all that came ribbon wrapped in a Tiffany blue box! 


Fairy Godmothers must exist because yesterday morning that’s exactly what happened (a rarity in a household of 6 children). I eventually awoke to that comfortingly familiar aroma of sizzling bacon. My children and husband had been busy preparing my Mother’s Day breakfast. Robust organic eggs (over-easy so that the golden yolks remained runny whilst the whites set just so), malted wholemeal sourdough toast and hot cups of tea (yes, 2 cups, each one steaming just as I like it). The older children had even sliced and toasted one of the banana crumble loaves I had baked last night, smearing each piece generously with butter. To top off the morning, I was presented with a stack of reading material – ahh, sleep, sustenance and something to read. I even managed to squeeze in a movie with my daughter Eva later in the afternoon. The relaxing nature of the day actually left me feeling rested and ready for this particularly busy week ahead. 

My Banana Crumbleloaves were devised out of necessity –  my husband had ordered too much cream via the IGA Drummoyne home shop, and so we had half a dozen little pots in the fridge. Combined with a fruit tray spilling over with enough bananas to impress the chimp population at Taronga Zoo, the need for a new recipe arose. It’s so easy, that even the kids can mix this up and make every day, Mother’s Day.


Ingredients (to make two loaves)

125 ml olive oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
300 ml thickened cream
3 large bananas, mashed
1 cup raw caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
350 grams self raising flour

Crumble mixture
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 tablespoon brown sugar
100 grams unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees conventional setting or 160 fan-forced. Lightly grease two 20cm long loaf tins with butter and line with baking paper. Alternatively use ready cut loaf liners, available in good kitchenware stores. 

In a large bowl whisk together the olive oil, eggs, vanilla and cream until thick, smooth and combined. I used a hand held, medium sized balloon whisk for this job. 

Add the mashed banana, sugar and spices and mix to combine. Finally add in the flour and combine using a mixing spoon. TIP – If you use the whisk, the batter will become stuck in the wires making clean up messy and difficult. 

Pour the batter evenly into each tin. To make the crumble topping, put all of the ingredients into the now empty bowl that was used for the banana loaf batter. Stir to combine so that the topping clumps. Then scatter this over the top of each loaf. 

Place into the oven and bake for 40 – 45 minutes until golden brown and cooked through – insert a metal skewer into the centre and if it comes out clean, the loaf is ready. 

Cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to either slice and enjoy whilst warm, or to cool completely. These loaves are dense and weighty so that is why I like to leave them in the tins for the suggested time, to prevent them breaking in two whilst piping hot. 

Serving suggestion – spread thickly with butter (I recently tried with much glee and several tastings, the hand churned variety from Tasmania’s Meander Valley Dairy (www.meandervalleydairy.com.au), or turn to the traditional favourite of Philadelphia cream cheese. Another slice, anyone?