Banana Buttermilk Bread

butter, for greasing the pan

6 bananas, very ripe

150g (2/3 cup) vegetable oil

200g (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp dark rum

2 eggs

75g (1/3 cup) cultured buttermilk or plain yogurt

210g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp fine sea salt

3 tbsp caster sugar

Directions: Heat the oven to 180°c (350 F). Butter and line your loaf tin with baking paper.

Mash up well, 5 ½ bananas, reserving half a banana (cut lengthwise) for the top of the cake.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, vanilla, rum, eggs and buttermilk. Add the mashed banana and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, powder and salt.

Fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture until just combined and pour into your prepared tin. Smooth the top and place the banana half on top and sprinkle with the caster sugar.

Bake for 40-50 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean and the top has become set and starts to caramelize. i sometimes use a kitchen blow torch to help this along.

Comment:  Rich, balanced banana bread, so good. If you haven't already, I highly suggest investing in a cooking/baking scale-it makes clean-up so much easier and is more precise!