Classic banana bread

(serves 6-8)

There is also a certain amount of excitement that buzzes through our house when our bananas for the week have gone past their edible state, and then been left that they have expired even their prime smoothie period, and the only thing left for them is to go into a cake. There is something just amazingly mouth-watering and enticing about the smell of fresh banana bread, one cannot explain it! 

I have got a simpler recipe where everything goes in the blender but i have to say there is something that little bit more special about doing it the traditional way! This is a recipe from Paul's French culinary institute book. We halved the sugar and skipped the brown sugar vanilla crumb topping to keep it a bit more on the healthy side, which means you can have an extra slice guilt-free! :) 

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 60min

Ingredients
125g unsalted butter, softened
125g caster sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
350g ripe bananas (approx 3 small bananas or 2.5 large ones)
225g plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
raw sugar, to sprinkle on top
butter, to coat side of pan

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C, coat the loaf tin with a thin layer of butter.
2. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.

3. Add in the eggs one at a time and beat until well combined.
4. Add in the bananas and beat on medium to incorporate.
5. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and beat to blend well.
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle raw sugar on top

7. Bake for 45-60minutes. Check with a metal skewer in the centre (that it comes out clean) to ensure it's cooked through. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Storage tip: Store tightly covered in glad wrap in a cool dry place, or refrigerate. It's best served toasted if not fresh on the day.