Banana loaf or-anyway-you-want-it-cake.

No you don't have to make this as a loaf cake. My mother-in-law makes it in an 8-inch tin and slices it like a round cake.

Something about banana cake tells me it has to be in a loaf, unless there are multiple layers and an abundance of icing!

I promised my Nana that this was the EASIEST banana cake recipe and it has proved so popular with her neighbours, that they bring her old bananas in hope that she'll make it again!

Ingredients:
1 large very ripe banana, although I usually use 2!
5 oz. self raising flour
1 egg
5 oz. Caster sugar
2 oz. butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

Method:

 

Put oven on - 170'c. 

Mash banana and put aside.

Beat butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy.   Because there isn't enough fat, it sort of forms a solid lump.  Keep going.  I turn the speed down and it becomes smooth.

Add egg and mix in.

Add banana and mix in.

 

In a separate bowl, mix your dry ingredients - flour, bicarb and salt.

 

Fold the dry ingredients into the batter using a METAL spoon.

 

At this point I sometimes add chocolate chips or nuts.

 

Pour into a lined tin.

 

Bake in a loaf tin for 35 mins or 45-50 mins if you add chocolate chips.

 

 

Today I'm experiementing by making smaller loaves in mini tines.  Already the batter is rising over the tin, despite being two thirds full... (The batter does make 6 but 4 fit on this baking tray!)

 

I've baked these for 20 mins so far.  Adding another 5...

 

 

Ta-daaaaah!!

 

 

170'C for 25 mins.  Going to my Aunt's house for lunch tomorrow. 

Can't wait to put these in pretty bags for her!

 

 

 

The mother-in-laws method:

 

"Put everything but the flour and Bicarb. into a liquidizer for 1 minute at low speed.

Pour into bowl and all flour and bicard and mix.

I cook mine more as a cake in a loaf tin at 170'c for 40 minutes or a 7" round tin for 25 mins."