Ingredients

• 60g unsalted butter
• 140g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 225g plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed (the browner, the better!)

Method

1. Pre-heat oven at 190 C
2. In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time
4. Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt into the mixture, add the banana, and fold with a large spoon until fully combined*
5. Transfer the mixture to a greased and lined 1 1/2 pound loaf tin
6. Bake for 1 hour, or until a cocktail stick comes out clean
7. Slice and serve warm with a generous helping of butter

*for more texture, you could add a small handful of chocolate chips, roughly-chopped walnuts or both at this stage

Source

I have had this recipe since the age of 6, and while it is super simple and straightforward, it never fails to please its recipients!

I was at primary school in Berkshire, a school which I left a few weeks into my first term of year 3, when my family decided to move to North Devon. The school dinner lady used to serve freshly baked banana bread with custard every other week at lunch. My mum was aware of my love of the dish, so she suggested we go and ask for the recipe before we moved. A shy child, I was rather hesitant, but boy am I grateful for my mum’s encouragement. The recipe has been in my scrap book ever since. It even made it into my mum’s recipe book once we had baked it at home together for the first time, and she realised how wonderful it was. This is a firm favourite among us both. It brings back a host of fond memories – from cosying up by the range in the winter with a freshly-baked slice and a hot mug of cocoa to summer picnics and rock-pooling on the chilly North Devon beaches.

Best served warm, with a generous dollop of butter and a mug of steaming hot tea or coffee.

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