Banana buttermilk bread

Description:
Banana bread is a classic home favourite and Claire’s version is absolutely divine.

Main ingredients:
Flour, Eggs, Sugar

Ingredients:
Butter, for greasing the tin
6 bananas, very ripe
150g vegetable oil
200g dark brown sugar
1tsp vanilla
1tsp dark rum
2 eggs
75g cultured buttermilk or plain yogurt
210g plain flour
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tsp baking powder
¼ tsp fine sea salt
3 tbsp caster sugar

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Butter a 25x10cm loaf tin and line with parchment paper.
Reserve half a banana for the top of the cake and mash the remaining bananas well.
In a bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, vanilla, rum, eggs and buttermilk or yoghurt. Add the mashed banana and set aside.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, powder and salt.
Fold this into the banana mixture until just combined, then pour into your prepared tin.
Smooth the top with a palette knife or spatula and place the reserved half banana, cut lengthways, on top. Sprinkle with the caster sugar.
Bake for 40-50 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean and the top of the cake has set and starts to caramelize.
Leave to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serves: makes 1 cake; 8 slices
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Recipe Type: Cakes & Baking, Entertaining, Family Dinners, Cake Stall, Classics
Level of Difficulty: Easy