preheat oven to 180C/350F

cream butter and sugar together very well

add eggs, one at a time

sift flour and baking powder together, and add this to the creamed mixture, using a fork to mix

add the buttermilk, using a little milk to rinse out the carton

mix well with a fork and then knead lightly

pack lightly rolled, golf ball sized buns of the dough into the greased pans close together, and bake for 45-55 minutes

place the pans in the middle of the oven, with a sheet of brown paper on the top shelf to protect the buns from becoming browned too quickly

remove the paper after the buns are well risen and cooked through, to brown the tops

reduce heat to liwest possible setting

turn out thebuns on to cake racks,cool them and separate them using 2 forks

pack them on wire racks or on cooled oven racks - air must circulate

place them in the cooled oven, leaving the door ajar, for 4-5 hours or overnight to dry out