Banana Cake with Walnut Topping

Ingredients

125g softened butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)

1 tsp vanilla extract

250g plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/2 cup buttermilk, or 1/2 cup milk mixed with 1 tsp lemon juice and left to sit for 5 minutes

Topping

3 tbsp coarsely chopped walnuts

3 tbsp self raising flour

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

100g softened butter

3 tbsp brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C. Butter and flour a 22cm cake tin.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs, banana and vanilla. Add dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk. Pour into the tin.

Combine all ingredients for the topping. Scatter over the top of the uncooked cake.

Place the cake in the oven and bake for 1 hour or until skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in tin on a wire rack for a few minutes before turning out.

Suggestions:

Add chopped dates to the cake mixture

Add chopped walnuts to the cake mixture