Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 5 loaf pan

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf, comes out clean. Let bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 6-cup (8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch) loaf pan; set aside.

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; add vanilla and salt. With mixer on low, gradually add flour, beating just until combined (do not overmix).

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour (tent with aluminum foil if browning too quickly). Let cool in pan 15 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack, and turn upright to cool completely.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Melt butter in a 9x13 casserole dish in the oven as it preheats.

Whisk together the flour, 1 1/4 cups of sugar, milk and the vanilla in a medium bowl while the butter melts. Pour into the melted butter without stirring.

Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar to the strawberries, tossing to coat. Spoon the strawberries into the butter and dough mixture without stirring.

Bake until the cobbler crust has turned lightly golden brown and the cobbler is set throughout about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve, topped with vanilla ice cream, if using.