Banana and Buttermilk Loaf

Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas (broken into pieces)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup (100 g) pecan nut halves (optional)
3½ oz (100 g) butter (softened)
1¼ cups (175 g) brown sugar
2 medium eggs (beaten)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
4 fl oz (100 ml) buttermilk

For the topping:
1 small banana (sliced)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line the bottom of a 2 lb (900 g) loaf pan with parchment paper. Mash the banana pieces with the lemon juice, using a fork.

Use your hands to break the pecan halves into small pieces into a bowl, if you are adding nuts. If you don’t like nuts, just leave this step out.

Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer or whisk, beat them together until they are combined and become light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract, a little at a time. Stir in the banana mixture. Sift in the flour, salt, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice and stir into the mixture with a metal spoon.

Mix in the buttermilk. Stir in the nuts if you are using them, saving a few. Pour the mixture into the pan and place the sliced banana on the top. Sprinkle the saved nuts over the top.

Bake in the oven for 50–60 minutes. If the loaf becomes too brown, cover it with foil. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan, then place it on a cooling rack and remove the parchment paper.

Variation:
Replace the pecans with chopped walnuts or brazil nuts, or just leave them out.