Friday 6 August 2010

Banana Cake

Can’t believe it’s been 3 weeks since my last blog post but after my hubby’s business trip to Singapore we have been spending some quality and much needed time together. I’m still on my health kick and doing pretty well and my body loves me for it. I’ve lost over 8lbs and I can already notice the difference in my clothing, which feels good and motivates me to continue. Hubby and I spent a couple of days in the south coast during which time I was less strict on myself and we enjoyed a lovely meal al fresco on the seafront at a family run Italian restaurant. I feel it’s important to still enjoy the odd treat while losing weight to maintain a healthy balance. Now I’m feeling better about myself having lost this initial weight and the weather has cooled down somewhat I will be hitting the gym once again, which I know from past experience will help me drop the weight quicker. OK enough of me and my weight issues and onto my new cookbook purchase and this lush Banana Cake.

I’ve been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Lotte’s Country Kitchen by Lotte Duncan. She is a lady after my own heart with her girly pink kitchen and love of glitter and sparkle, which is reminiscent of my own kitchen and love of all things glittery. Her book is beautifully illustrated with an array of wonderful recipes for every month of the year. I was drooling whilst reading and browsing the book and couldn’t wait to get stuck in and decided the Banana Cake was a great one to start on, seeing as there is always a plentiful supply of ripe bananas in my fruit bowl.

Lotte describes this cake as the “very best banana cake in the whole wide world if not the universe and beyond” and I have to agree with her but my only disappointment was I didn’t have any preserved stem ginger in syrup in the house, so my cake was lacking this. Apart from that this cake is full of flavour and gorgeously fluffy. I will definitely be making this again but next time I’ll be sure to include the stem ginger!

Banana Cake

Ingredients
2 over-ripe bananas
juice of ½ lemon
110g/4oz butter, softened
110g/4oz soft brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
225g/8oz self-raising flour, sieved
50g/2oz sultanas
1 piece of preserved stem ginger in syrup, drained and finely chopped
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ baking powder

Grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin.

Preheat the oven to 180oC/fan oven 160oC/gas mark 4.

Place the bananas and lemon juice in a medium mixing bowl, mash them together using a fork and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together in your mixer or with a wooden spoon until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the mashed banana and beat well.

Using a metal spoon, gently fold in the flour, sultanas, ginger, spices and baking powder and turn the mixture into the loaf tin. Spread it out evenly and give the mixture a little tap to settle it down in the tin.

Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven, leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack.

Serve sliced and spread with lashings of softened creamy butter!



Madison also loves my new cookbook!!

14 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh I'm a big fan of Banana Bread/Cake.
Glad to have you back with us, and what fab news about the weight loss :0)

Jill x

Lucie said...

You have done sooooo well losing all that weight! This looks so moist and tasty - I will be trying this one :) Gorg piccie of Madison x

Gloria Baker said...

I love banana Cake María, this look yummy.
Love your cat! x gloria

Caroline said...

Congrats on the weight loss!

I like the combination of spices in this recipe, and I wouldn't have thought to put crystallised stem ginger in, but I might next time I make a banana cake!

cocoa and coconut said...

Glad to see your back and baking! And of course, congrats with the weight loss. This banana cake does indeed look fluffy and wonderful. I'm looking into buying a copy of Lotte's cookbook myself.

Ps. Your cat is ADORABLE!!!!

Chele said...

Well with a write up like that introducing the recipe how could you not try it!?!?! Think I will have to follow suit as Hubby loves ginger and I've never thought of adding this to banana cake before now.

Well done for your weight lose too, mine is going along well too, such a good feeling isn't it! Madison is too cute by the way ;0)

Petit Filoux said...

There must be something in the air!! I'd like to think great minds thing alike!! Will definitely give it a go toasted with a little butter, sounds lush!

Heather said...

This looks great! Madison is beautiful and knows it, I am sure.

busygran said...

Welcome back Maria! Miss your goodies! Like your banana loaf!

The Girl said...

First of all, great news about the weight loss. Once I saw a difference in my clothes that most defintiely spurred me on and kept me motivated.

Definitely need to try this banana bread, how could I not when it says it's the best in the world and universe?!

Loving the pic of Madison. So beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Hi,
What temperature/gas mark should the banana cake be baked at?

Thanks x

lotte said...

Hi Maria...

I love your blog! I have linked through from mine to you..and thank you for a lovely write up about my banana cake!

xxx

Maria♥ said...

Thanks Lotte! I have also made your March Plum Cake but used damsons instead and it was so delish!

Maria
x

Maria said...

Hi Maria! Your profile sounds pretty much like mine ;) I have also cooked and blogged from Lotte's book, I love it!
Love your blog as well :)

Maria