Measure the flours, sugars, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts, coconut and raisins into a large bowl and stir to mix.

Place the mashed bananas in a medium bowl and add the maple syrup, maple flavouring, eggs, oil, buttermilk. Mix thoroughly.

Add the banana and maple syrup mixture to the flour mixture and stir very thoroughly until well blended, but don’t beat.

Divide the mixture between 2 large greased and floured (or lined) loaf pans.

Bake at about 350℉ or 175℃ (165℃ for fan ovens) for 45 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean with no batter clinging to it.  (If the loaves begin to brown to fast, turn the heat back a little.)

Take the pans out of the oven, place on a wire rack and allow to cool for about half an hour.  Carefully remove the loaves from the loaf pans and leave to cool on the wire racks until cold.

Store wrapped in aluminium foil or in a sealed container.