directions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), 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 and salt, if using. 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, reserving a little for decoration. Using two large spoons, divide the mixture among the paper cases and sprinkle over the rest of the oats.

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 bun on a plate with a piece of fruit to serve.

* Suitable for vegetarians