75g butter, softened

100g caster sugar

2 large eggs

3 ripe bananas

A few drops of vanilla extract

200g plain flour

2 heaped tsp baking powder

100g chopped walnuts (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Grease and breadcrumb the loaf tin, then cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy before beating in the eggs.

Peel and mash the bananas with a fork. Beat the mash into the mixture, adding a few drops of vanilla extract. Sieve the flour and baking powder, then fold into the mixture before mixing in the nuts.

Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth the top. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the loaf has risen and is golden. Cool the loaf for 10 minutes then turn out and cool on a wire rack. Slice and serve.