Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Line a 2lb loaf tin with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until pale. Add the eggs and beat to combine.
3. Add flour and baking powder and beat on low speed just until mixed in. Add the banana and vanilla, and if adding, poppy seeds or chocolate chips, and mix until incorporated.
4. Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for between 45 minutes – 1 hour, this will depend on how many bananas you added. If the top of the load starts to brown, lay a piece of foil over the top to stop it from burning while it carries on baking.
5. Check to see it’s baked by inserting a skewer into the middle of the loaf. It may be slightly wet because of the banana, but it’s ready if there is no raw batter on the stick.
6. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for about 20 minutes in the tin, then turn out and leave to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy while still warm or completely cooled.
7. For an extra touch, decorate a plain banana bread with a dusting of icing sugar. For chocolate chip, melt a small bit of chocolate and drizzle over the top. For poppy seed, mix a small amount of icing sugar with milk and drizzle over the top, then sprinkle with poppy seeds. Will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature.