American Banana Loaf

Given that I have been making this with the kids every weekend for the past half term, I thought it was probably worth a mention - I have lifted it word for word from the Good Housekeeping Cookery Book and really, there are no tweaks needed at all! The recipe is unbelievably easy, and has been going into the children's snack boxes every day (apart from the middle, who prefers cheese and biscuits, like his mum). I use a loaf tin liner to make the whole process even easier.

You'll need a food processor - I've not tried it without so can't guarantee what the results might be like.

Ingredients

• 225g (8oz) plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 100g (3 1/2 oz) butter, plus extra to grease
• 175g (6oz) golden caster sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 2 bananas, about 300g (11 oz), peeled
• Finely grated zest of one lemon
• 2 medium eggs, beaten
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Golden granulated sugar, to dredge

Makes 10 slices (allegedly, we must be slicing them thick!)

Instructions

• Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar into a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the butter and whizz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and whizz briefly
• Mix the lemon juice and milk together in a jug and leave to stand for 1 minute. Grease and base-line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin
• Mash the bananas in a bowl, then stir in the lemon zest, eggs, milk mixture and vanilla extract. Add to the food processor and whizz until combined
• Pour the mixture into the loaf tin, dredge with granulated sugar and bake at 180 degrees C (160 degrees fan oven)  for 1 1/4 hours or until risen and golden, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean

• Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Cut into slices to serve

American Banana Loaf