Social media wants you to believe you’re not in lockdown unless you’ve baked banana bread

If your social feeds have been awash with all manner of banana bread posts, it’s not the algorithms playing tricks on you – people really are making an abundance of banana bread right now. Need more proof? Just take a look at the Google Trends report below…

Two weeks ago we wrote about the phenomenon of isolation baking and how those in lockdown are passing the time by doing things that spark joy as a response to the everyday stress and anxiety we’re all feeling during these tough times. Even David Beckham is baking his way through corona quarantine (his lemon drizzle cake attempt is fairly impressive!).

But why has banana bread catapulted its way to Instagram (and Twitter) fame in only a few short weeks?

It appears that bananas are amongst the most commonly consumed fruit throughout the year, so many people have a few in their fruit bowls at any given time. It’s also something anyone and everyone feels comfortable making – there’s no kneading, proofing or a plethora of unattainable ingredients required. It also provides solace and comfort merely through its simplicity. And maybe that’s what we’re all subconsciously yearning: for the world and everything happening in it to be uncomplicated and within our realm of control.

As always, we’re here to help you kickstart your time in the kitchen by sharing some fun variations on the good old banana bread recipe.

Before you start preheating your oven, check out this guide to making the perfect banana bread.

Brown butter banana bread