A week ago my lovely niece Meg phoned up to ask if I had a banana cake recipe, I had to admit I hadn't but that I would work on creating one. Lightly cooking the banana helps considerably in enhancing the banana flavour of this cake, I also introduced a favourite ingredient of mine, date syrup. If you do not find date syrup (try whole food shops) golden syrup will work but it won't produce the nutty brown colour the date syrup will. Unlike many banana cakes, this is a light textured sponge.
For this recipe you will need;
2 large ripe bananas sliced
200g of caster sugar
50g of date syrup
50g of unsalted butter
2 large eggs
250g of self raising flour
170ml of oil, I use grapeseed
1 tablespoon of sour cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla escence
1 teaspoon of finely grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Begin by preparing a 20cm square baking tin, either grease it lightly and dust with flour or line with baking parchment.
Place the butter, sugar and date syrup in a small shallow pan and slowly bring to a boil. Add the sliced bananas and cook on a gentle heat for 5 minutes. The bananas should break up slightly but they will break up completely when mixed with the other ingredients. Allow to cool completely.
Turn the oven on to 180C.
Whisk together the eggs, oil sour cream and banana mixture until light and creamy, sieve the dry ingredients together and fold in, then transfer the mix to the prepared baking tin. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick comes out cleanly.
This sounds delicious - never heard of cooking the banana first but I'm sure it will give a better flavour. Also like the idea of a lighter textured banana cake.
ReplyDeleteI am also a big fan of date syrup. Needless to say it goes very well in date muffins etc.
Hello Ann, thank you for leaving a comment. I hope you'll try this recipe, all who have eaten it are surprised by the light texture. I am trying at this point to think of a complimentary topping which is not too sweet. Best wishes, Tôbi
ReplyDeleteI certainly intend to try it and have just emailed a copy to my daughter in the UK who is a keen baker. Please post the recipe for the topping when you have been inspired!
DeleteHi Tobi,
DeleteHave just made this, but I used golden syrup as I didn't have any date syrup in the cupboard....It looks and smells delicious although I made it in a 22cm round tin which probably sat higher and consequently went brown rather quickly (oops). I also added some pecans and sultanas. It smells lovely although it has sunk a bit in the middle. I'll report back but it certainly looks and smells a winner. Thanks again for all your hard work. PS love your bread recipes
Tony
Hello Tony, thank you for leaving a comment, I do appreciate it always. I think your additions to my recipe certainly qualify you to call the adapted recipe your own and very good it is I'm sure. I made another today, which is now the 4th in a short time and even today I was beginning to think I must bring something new to the recipe, so I shall try your pecan addition next time. As for the slight sinking, my cakes sink if I am a tad early in removing them from the oven and if in doubt I switch the oven off at the given time and leave the cake in for a further 5 minutes. It's also really important to add no more baking soda than is stated, since this can cause too fast a rise which then ends in a bit of deflation.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter sent me a text to say she was baking it yesterday evening and by all accounts she was delighted as were her colleagues at work today. Best wishes and happy baking, Tôbi
Hi Tobi, You're absolutely right I must have taken it out too soon as it was a tad wet in the middle....The fact that it was browning a bit too quickly (my fault) meant I obviously didn't give it that extra 5 mins. I'm happy to report that it still tastes marvellous and I will add this to my list of favourites. Even if I do say so myself the Pecans and Sultanas worked really well....So thanks again 5 stars. PS my wife who isn't a big banana fan thought it was great too.
ReplyDeleteRegards Tony
Hello again, speaking of favourites, have you tried my sodden orange cake yet? it's one of the easiest cakes to make and how often can you finish mixing a cake batter, discover you have neglected to switch on the oven and find that the cake actually needs to start in a cold oven. . . . . . . never in my experience.
DeleteI'm glad to hear your wife likes this cake, think of all the extra theobromine, just make sure dogs don't get hold of it.
Happy baking, Tôbi