[Recipe]: Mum’s Banana Cake – Back to Basics

Mum, if you are reading this, then yes I have stolen your banana cake recipe. Thank you very much (even if I didn’t ask for your permission to do so). My Mum didn’t bake that often, and if we did my brother and I would just use cake baking kits from a supermarket (-not that there is anything wrong with that, they remind me of sweet freedom of school holidays). One certainly is that she knows how to make an addictive, fluffy banana cake. WITH THICK WHIPPED CREAM OF COURSE!

Ingredients:

• 250g of self-raising flour
• 250g of caster sugar
• 250g margarine
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• Vanilla essence or extract (1 tablespoon for the cake, 1 teaspoon for the cream)
• 4 overripe bananas
• Double (full fat) cream for whipping

This banana cake is perfect for when you want something sweet, yet not overly complex in taste. If you want to add more flavours to the cake a dusting of cinnamon and a decoration of walnuts accompanies well.

Recipe:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 °c/Gas mark 4 and lightly grease a round 18cm baking tin. A springform baking tin is most convenient.
2. In a medium-large sturdy bowl soften the measured margarine, you can do this with the gentle warmth of just your finger tips or with the back of a spoon.
3. In a separate container mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher.
4. With the margarine combine the self-raising flour, caster sugar, baking powder, vanilla essence/extract and eggs.
5. Use an electric whisk to stir and add air to the sponge cake mixture until smooth.
6. Place the mashed bananas into the cake mixture, move the bananas around a little so that they aren’t gathered in a cluster.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until light golden brown. You can test to see if the centre is baked by inserting a skewer or chopstick. It the skewer/chopstick is dry when removed, this means the centre is baked thoroughly.
8. After the allotted cooking time lay the cake to rest on a cooling rack.
9. Whilst the cake is settling prepare the cream. Simply whisk the double (full fat) cream with 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence/extract. Ensure the cream is to a spreadable consistency.
10. Generously spread the whipped cream on top of the cooled cake. Refridgerate for 2-3 hours. Consume within 3-4 days.