One of the three things my mum could cook

Hi everyone

Ive said my adopted mum wasn't a great cook. Three of the things she could cook however were tomato relish, apple pie and banana cake.  We all loved her banana cake and when I left home Id make it in roasting dishes as it would disappear that quickly. I slowly changed her recipe slightly to suit me and now its really more my own then hers.

So I will say simply what I don't like with banana cakes..I dont like dry and dense. Soo I have two tricks. I use ripe bananas that Ive frozen and thawed it keeps the cake beautifully moist and nothing like your bake sale banana cake. Secondly I don't beat the cake much when Im putting the flour in..more fold then beat. That comes from being diagnosed with arthritis when young. I can't beat anything and with this cake its been a great change to the original recipe method.

Ingredients for a simple small cake are:

125gm butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
4-5 thawed ripe bananas mashed
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons hot milk
1 1/2 - 2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

So do the usual things when making a cake. Start with putting the oven on 180' C. Grease a 20cm round cake tin. You can line the base with baking paper too.

Cream butter and sugar - I soften the butter first as I can't beat the butter and sugar physically. If its a little melted Ive found its not the end of the world. I just get the sugar and butter together and combine so its well mixed and hopefully light and fluffy and cool (as you don't want scrambled eggs when you add them). Add the eggs then one at a time mixing well between each egg.  Add the banana and mix. Stir the baking soda to the hot milk. It should froth up. Add to the mixture.

In a separate bowl sift the flour and baking powder together. Note if using self raising flour (I do when I suddenly realize I don't have standard flour in the pantry) I always still add at least half a teaspoon of baking powder just to make sure the cake will rise. Now fold the flour into the mixture a small amount at a time. Don't beat in. When Ive made a big cake Ive actually been known to put the mixture into the roasting dish Im cooking it in without the flour and then just added in the flour in the pan before putting it in the oven stirring a bit till combined, thats how little you play with the mixture. My view is that is why Id never use a food mixer or anything to make this cake because they over beat the cake and make it dense.

If you are like me and don't do small cakes you will want closer to the multiples of 1 1/2 cups of flour then the 2 cups when increasing the ingredients for a bigger cake. The mixture should be still slightly wet and not like a dough. If its dry and dough like then theres too much flour in the mixture and the cake will be dense.

Bake for 40-50 minutes generally although I always check it as different ovens will require different cooking times. I usually put a skewer into the centre just to make sure its cooked. Crumbs should come out with the skewer rather then wet mixture. Once cooked leave in the tin for 10 minutes and then turn on a wire rack.  When cold I ice with lemon cream cheese icing yummy

I hope you enjoy it as much as our family has

Me xx