Perfect Banana Cake

Anyone who likes to bake even on a semi-regular basis will have a favourite banana cake recipe up their sleeve for when they have a few old bananas in the fruit bowl. I have used the same banana recipe for a long time, and I thought it was time to try an new one. I came across this one which was perfect as it calls for 4 ripe bananas, and that's exactly how many I needed to use up!

This banana cake is wonderfully moist.. I highly recommend giving this one a try :)

Ingredients
125 g unsalted butter
1/2 c caster sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 medium bananas, mashed
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 c milk
2 c self raising flour, sieved

Icing
125 g unsalted butter
3/4 c icing sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
small handful shredded/shaved coconut, toasted


Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcuis and grease a 20cm round springform tin.
2. Mash bananas in a bowl, add vanilla, cover and set aside. In a small bowl, combine milk and bicarbonate soda, set aside.
3. In a large bowl cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs and mix until well combined.
5. Add banana mixture and mix until well combined.
6. Gently and gradually fold in flour and milk alternately.
7. Transfer to tin and bake for 1 hour, or until skewer comes out clean.
8. Leave in tin for 10 minutes and then turn out onto wire rack.
9. For the icing, mix the butter and sugar till very creamy then add the lemon juice.
10. Spread over cooled cake and top with coconut.

Tips

• Bananas should be very ripe.
• Bake with cold ingredients (butter, milk, eggs) at room temperature for best results.
• To toast coconut, dry roast in a pan over low to medium heat. Remove from pan once the coconut reaches a light golden colour.

Ladybird x