Banana Bread/Cake

This is a variation of a bunch of recipes I have tried but mostly from one I have lying around on a bit of paper - I have no idea where it came from! If you are after a 'bread' then omit the baking powder, if you want more of a cake, baking powder makes it light and fluffy! If you can, don't make this recipe until the banana skins have gone completely brown - the bananas are much more sweet, moist and flavoursome taking this recipe into a different league. Please note that for this recipe the skewer/knife/toothpick test isn't as reliable as usual because the banana stays moist in the cake!

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Yields: 8-12 slices

Ingredients

• 3  medium bananas, mashed
• 1  egg, beaten
• 3  ounces unsalted butter
• 4  ounces demerara sugar
• 8  ounces self-raising flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  groud nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4-1⁄2 teaspoon mixed spice (allspice)
• 1  pinch salt
• 1⁄4-1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder (optional)
• 1  ounce  chopped  nuts (optional) or 1  ounce  dried fruit (optional)

Directions

1. Grease and line a 20cm loaf tin.
2. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
3. Cream the butter and sugar together.
4. Mix in the beaten egg.
5. Stir in the mashed bananas (give it a bit of a whisk to make the texture fluffier).
6. Fold in the remaining ingredients (sifting the flour isn't necessary but it helps lighten the texture).
7. Put in the tin and bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes.
8. Leave the cake in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool.