Slow cooker banana bread is moist and full of banana flavour. It's super easy to make, only takes a few hours to cook and is guaranteed to be super soft and delicious.
Line the slow cooker with kitchen foil. To measure the correct size, cut a length of foil which is as long as the outer rim of the slow cooker pot.
Push the piece of foil into the base of the pot and smooth the foil against the sides so it is neatly lined (see recipe note 1).
Now measure out a piece of baking parchment to hold the cake mixture (see recipe note 2). As before, pull out a length of baking parchment across the length of the slow cooker pot then add an extra 3cm of paper overhanging on each side and cut.
Push the paper into the base of the pot, flattening the paper along the bottom and then folding any overlapping areas over around the sides neatly.
Pre-heat the slow cooker. Replace the lid of the pot and set on to high for 20 minutes.
Making the banana bread
In a bowl peel and then mash the bananas into a puree.
Next, add the butter and both types of sugar to a large mixing bowl and mix together. See the recipe notes below for stand mixer instructions.
Gradually add the flour, baking powder and salt to the mixture followed by the eggs. Mix together well to form a dense batter.
Stir through the mashed bananas. The batter will become looser and wetter.
Pour the banana bread mixture into the baking parchment lining in the slow cooker.
Now place 4 joined sheets of kitchen paper over the top of the pot (doubled over so that 2 sheets lay across the top of the slow cooker). This will absorb any additional moisture in the slow cooker and prevent the cake from becoming soggy whilst it cooks. Trap the paper in place by placing the lid over the top, then set the slow cooker to cook on high for a minimum of 2 hours 15 minutes. Do not open the lid whilst the cake is cooking, this would allow the heat to escape from the cooker and affect the rise of the cake.
After the cooking time test the cake is cooked. Firstly by gently pressing down on the top of the banana bread, if it is cooked the sponge should have some resistance and spring back up immediately. A second test is to take a kitchen skewer and pierce the middle of the cake, the skewer will pull out cleanly if it is cooked through. If it comes out with traces of batter then replace the lid and cook for further 15 minute intervals until the skewer comes out of the cake cleanly.
Once cooked, remove the cake from the slow cooker pot by lifting up the edges of the baking paper. Set the cake on a baking rack to cool. Once cooled, peel away the paper, slice and enjoy!
Notes
Some slow cookers can have hotspots where the heating elements are directly underneath the pot. This can result in certain patches of the cake baking faster or over-browning. This is specifically more noticeable when baking in the slow cooker (rather than cooking stews etc). Adding a foil liner helps to distribute the heat across the slow cooker, creating a more even temperature for baking.
Use baking parchment to make a cake case for the slow cooker. It prevents batter sticking to the side of the pot, and makes removing the cake much easier at the end of cooking time.
Instructions for food processors and stand mixers
Attach the cake mixer attachment, then add the ingredients to the jug or pot in the same order as per the recipe card above. Beat the ingredients on a medium setting until they are well combined.