Amazing banana bread

This slices well without crumbling, stays moist and freezes well.

If making as banana bread, coat a 13×24cm deep loaf tin with baking spray and line the base with baking paper.

If making as cake, coat a 21cm round cake tin with baking spray and line the base with baking paper.

Makes 1415 slices

270g selfraising flour

1⁄2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1⁄4 tsp ground cloves

80g butter, melted

140g dark cane sugar

3 large eggs, size 7

1 tsp vanilla extract

450g very ripe bananas, weighed without skin, mashed (45 large bananas)

Method

Preheat the oven to 170degC on bake.

Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves into a large bowl and stir well to combine. Set aside.

Put the melted butter, dark cane sugar, eggs and vanilla extract into a mediumsized bowl and beat together for several minutes on high speed until thick and creamy. Reduce the speed and gradually add the mashed bananas, beating until well combined. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and stir in the banana mixture a third at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Tip into the prepared tin (either loaf tin or cake tin) and smooth the top.

Bake until golden brown — it should be firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean (about 5055 minutes). You may need to cover the bread with baking paper for the last 15 minutes of cooking if it is browning too much.

Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Slide a knife between the side of the tin and the bread to loosen it. Invert the tin on to a wire rack, remove the baking paper, turn right way up and leave to cool.

To serve the loaf

Cut into thick slices and toast if you

wish. Cuts into 1415 slices.

To serve as a cake

Ice with lemon icing or leave plain. I quite like it without the icing as the banana flavour is more pronounced.

Cuts into 1620 slices.