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Banana bread becomes most popular BBC Good Food recipe during lockdown

The website has seen an increase in traffic on baking recipes.
The website has seen an increase in traffic on baking recipes. The website has seen an increase in traffic on baking recipes.

Banana bread has become the most popular BBC Good Food recipe under lockdown.

The “Brilliant banana loaf” tops a list of the website’s most-searched recipes between March 23, when the measures were introduced, and April 30.

A further 13 of the top 20 most popular recipes were cakes, biscuits or desserts – including brownies, cakes, cookies and cheesecakes.

The six remaining recipes in the top 20 included comfort foods such as Yorkshire puddings, chilli con carne, spaghetti carbonara, cheese scones and easy bread.

All the top 10 viewed videos on the website were baking or bread-related.

And there were more than three million page views on bread-related content on BBC Good Food in the first two weeks of lockdown.

The biggest trend for bread making was sourdough, with 115,000 related page views on the website – up 900% on last year, according to BBC Good Food.

The website saw a new increase at 10pm in users searching for flapjacks, banana bread and muffins, suggesting a jump in night time bakers.

Lily Barclay, editor of bbcgoodfood.com, said: “Baking is such a calming activity which can help you focus and take away the stresses of the day, so it’s no wonder we’re seeing activity on the website post 10pm as people use baking as a coping mechanism.

“The motion of stirring, beating, and kneading can be meditative and the results are very rewarding, which is why we are seeing a surge in people wanting to learn new baking skills.

“At bbcgoodfood.com, we are working hard to support our audiences, offering tips, tricks, and recipe adaptations as we aim to bring people together and provide comfort, reassurance and guidance in any way we can.”

Top 10 recipes on bbcgoodfood.com

1. Brilliant banana loaf recipe


2. Best-ever chocolate brownies


3. Best Yorkshire puddings


4. Classic scones with jam and clotted cream


5. Easy pancakes recipe


6. Classic Victoria sandwich recipe


7. Yummy golden syrup flapjacks recipe


8. Lemon drizzle cake


9. Chilli con carne


10. Vintage chocolate chip cookies