Hot Buttered Banana Bread

No, my efforts were in vain. He sat transfixed by Fireman Sam and the gang (especially naughty Norman!)

After pulling myself together (I take my baking pretty seriously and I do get offended when people aren't dazzled by my efforts...maybe it's a special kind of vanity, I don't know....Baker's Vanity?)...

Then I realize that the bloody show even had my little rosebud Lola May interested...

What did Fireman Sam have that my hot buttered banana bread didn't have?

It was hot, buttery and had just the right amount of banana-ey flavour, not to mention it was moist as!

Plus it always looks SO pretty in my old pink cake tin...

I started to notice a wandering eye and then definite interest from Milo, but alas he still couldn't take his eyes away from his favourite show...

And then I realize I am actually in a really good position. Milo will so rarely sit down in one spot for very long and Lola was happy to bang her soft toys in her little pillow pit for the meantime...

Which meant one thing and one thing only for me...TIME FOR A HOT CUP OF TEA!

Now, I am not sure, but I think this is as close as I'll ever get to what they call, "me time."

Doesn't this look like a peaceful scene....

But alas, no sooner had my bum hit the couch, did Milo revert to his usual sea gull like behaviour.

He began hoe-ing into my banana bread with gusto...

And despite being flushed with pride that my banana bread still had my little boy's heart I did realize my peaceful moment was over. Lesson learned!

Now, this banana bread is SO easy to make. And once you have the basic recipe down you can play with to mix things up.

Chocolate chips, raspberries & blueberries (fresh or frozen), apple or pear and chopped walnuts are all great additions.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup packed mashed banana (4 good sized bananas)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
40g butter melted
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup treacle, golden syrup or honey
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 cup self-raising flour
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 teaspoon bicarb soda

METHOD:
    •    Preheat your oven to 180 degrees
    •    Grease a large loaf tin with butter then line the base with baking paper.
    •    Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl then stir in dry ingredients till JUST combined. Don't overmix, it will stuff up the texture.
    •    Spoon into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.
    •    Stand in pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
    •    Eat it before it cools because you are impatient like me.
    •    Smugly know that you have an easy recipe up your sleeve that will dazzle your friends and family!

Recipe from The Australian Women's Weekly BAKE

One more photo to tempt you to make this too easy, no mixer required, no butter thawing required gem of a recipe.

Of course if you can't be stuffed actually baking Banana Bread, but you want to recreate the sweet smells of Banana Bread baking in your oven then try our Smitten Scents in Banana Bread!