The original recipe handed down to me says not to beat the bananas and to leave them in chunks – I don’t. I believe it works better when beaten and smooth. The recipe below is impossible to go wrong with. Sprinkle a bit of sugar on top and you have a classic fete-bake that will always sell.

Makes 6 good slices when hot, or 8 slices when cold
caster sugar 170g
butter or margarine 113g
self-raising flour 170g
ripe bananas 2 small
free-range eggs 2 large
salt a good pinch

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. First, blend together the caster sugar and the margarine, using a stand mixer or handheld whisk, until fluffy. Then add all the other ingredients making sure to scrape all the butter and sugar from the side of the bowl. Whizz all together for a minute or until it is a smooth batter. Line a 2kg loaf tin with a baking parchment liner, pour in the batter and bake on the top shelf for 45-55 minutes. It is done when a skewer comes out clean. Let it cool in the tin for five minutes. Slice and serve hot or cold.