Ingredients:

125 g unsalted butter

½ cup caste sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg (lightly beaten)

2 overripe bananas (mashed)

1 ¼ cups SR flour

1/3 milk

Topping:

50g unsalted butter (melted)

½ cup caste sugar

2 large ripe bananas

Method:

1. Grease a 14 cm x 24 cm large loaf pan. Line base and sides with baking paper.
2. To make topping, combine butter and sugar in a small bowl. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Spread over base of pan. Cut each banana into a 9 cm length. Then cut each banana lengthways into four even slices. Arrange slices, cut-side facing down, across butter mixture.
3. To make cake, beat butter, sugar and extract in small bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until combined. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in mashed banana. Then stir in flour and milk, in two batches. Spoon mixture into prepared pan.
4. Cook in a moderate oven 180C for 1 hour or until cooked when tested. Stand for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Serve cake warm or cold.

Tip: Serve cake with sweetened cream cheese. Beat 125 g cream cheese with 2 tbsp icing sugar until smooth.