Banana Bread from Cook's Illustrated, metric version

Ingredients
250g (1¾ cups or 8¾ ounces) plain (prefeably cake) flour
1 teaspoon bi carb soda
½ teaspoon salt
5 large very, very ripe bananas (about 2¼ pounds), peeled
125g butter
2 large eggs
150g (¾ cup packed, 5¼ ounces) brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)
Method
Microwave 5 bananas, then pour into a strainer over a saucepan, and drain 15 mins.
Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Prepare a loaf pan about 20x10cm (8½ by 4½-inch) loaf pan by rubbing with butter and sprinkling with flour.
Simmer banana water until reduced to about ¼ cup, about 5 minutes.
Add butter and allow to melt.
Add eggs, brown sugar and vanilla.
Mash bananas and add to mixture in saucepan.
Slice remaining banana into narrow slices.
Combine flour, salt and bi carb soda.
Pour banana mixture into flour mixture, and gently stir to until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining. Gently fold in the walnuts, if using.
Pour mixture into prepared pan.
Bake 55 to 75 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and continue to cool on a wire rack.
Slice thickly, toast in a fry pan, and serve with a pat of butter.