Fifteen Kilograms of Imperfect Lemons

Everyone knows to save overripe bananas in the freezer for cooking or smoothies. Once the banana defrosts it is easy to mash up. Here is a simple banana cake adapted from a recipe by Stephanie Alexander. Buttermilk is best made with cultures you can buy or source of a Facebook swapping group, otherwise substitute with cow’s milk with a little lemon juice. If you want you can add a small amount of cinnamon, nutmeg and or allspice but I prefer it with just the vanilla extract.

Beat 125g unsalted butter with 250g caster sugar until creamy. Beat in 2 eggs, 225g mashed banana and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Sift 250g plain flour and 1 teaspoon of baking sofa, and fold in alternating with 125ml buttermilk. Bake in a 20cm square cake tin lined with baking paper for about 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.