Enjoy this healthy sweet treat taken from RTE's Operation Transformation
100g Butter (at room temperature)
40g Golden Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract (2.5g)
240g Self-Raising Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder (10g)
4 Ripe or over-ripe Bananas
90g Porridge Oats
Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / gas mark 4. Line a bun tin with 16 paper cases.
Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat well. The easiest way to do this is with a hand-held electric beater but a wooden spoon and some elbow grease also works. The mixture should become a little lighter in colour.
Add two of the eggs along with the vanilla extract and half of the flour and beat well to combine. Add the remaining egg and the rest of the flour with the baking powder. Mix until everything is just combined – overbeating will make the buns less light, so easy does it.
Peel the bananas and mash the flesh in a bowl, then carefully fold into the bun mixture with the oats. Using two large spoons, divide the mixture among the paper cases.
Place in the oven and bake for 22-25 minutes until cooked through. To test, insert a skewer or toothpick into the centre of a bun and it should come out clean. The buns will also smell cooked and be springy to the touch.
Remove the buns from the oven and after 5 minutes transfer them to a wire or grill rack and leave to cool completely before serving.
Arrange an oaty banana bread bun on a plate with a piece of fruit to serve.
These buns will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days or can be frozen in freezer bags for up to 1 month and defrosted as needed. Bring wrapped in tin foil with a piece of fruit if transporting.
