Ingredients

• 285g/10oz plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 110g/4oz butter
• plus extra for greasing
• 225g/8oz caster sugar
• 2 free-range eggs
• 4 ripe bananas
• mashed
• 85ml/3fl oz buttermilk (or normal milk mixed with 1½ tsp lemon juice or vinegar)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Sift the flour
• bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.
• In a separate bowl
• cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs
• mashed bananas
• buttermilk and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and mix well. Fold in the flour mixture.
• Grease a 20cm x 12.5cm/8in x 5in loaf tin and pour the cake mixture into the tin.
• Transfer to the oven and bake for about an hour
• or until well-risen and golden-brown.
• Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for a few minutes
• then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.