🍌Banana Cake

If you're using frozen bananas for this, defrost them first. You can use the defrost function of your microwave to speed up this process.

If using fresh bananas (and you can be bothered), cut two thin slices along the length. Save to decorate the top of the cake before baking (this will be in addition to the 400g of banana used in the cake). Any leftover bits of banana can be frozen for your next banana cake 😉

This recipe's ingredients are very flexible. Check out the notes at the bottom for substitutions.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Servings: 10 thick slices

Author: Hangry Miss

Equipment

Small loaf tin

Ingredients

butter for greasing
85 g unsalted butter
200 g wholemeal flour
100 g soft dark brown sugar
60 g oat bran
teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
115 g/ml buttermilk
1 egg
teaspoon vanilla extract
400 g ripe/very ripe bananas (approx. 4 medium)
teaspoon demerara (raw) sugar

Instructions

Preheat Oven – to 150°C.
Prepare Tin - lightly grease the loaf tin with butter. Line the base with baking paper long enough to go up opposite sides of the tin with some overhang.
butter
Butter - melt the butter and allow to cool. You can microwave it directly in a medium non-metallic bowl.
85 g unsalted butter
Dry Ingredients - combine in another large bowl (big enough to take all the ingredients). Tip in the flour, sugar, oat bran, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Use a handwhisk or fork to combine. If you’ve used soft brown sugar, it can tend to clump up because it’s a bit damp. If you shimmy the bowl backwards and forwards on the counter, any lumps of sugar will rise to the top. Rub these between your fingers to break up and stir through.
200 g wholemeal flour
100 g soft dark brown sugar
60 g oat bran
teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Egg, Vanilla & Buttermilk - add buttermilk, egg and vanilla to the melted butter. Whisk well to combine.
1 egg
115 g/ml buttermilk
teaspoon vanilla extract
Bananas – (if using fresh bananas, cut a couple of thin slices along the length of one and reserve them for the top of the cake). Mash the 400g banana with a potato masher or back of a fork and add this to the other wet ingredients. Previously frozen and defrosted bananas will be soggy and be sitting in a puddle of brown liquid. Include this liquid too.
400 g ripe/very ripe bananas
Mix Wet & Dry - pour wet ingredients over dry. Combine with a flexible spatula until just combined and no dry flour is visible.
Bake – pour the batter into the loaf tin and smooth the top. Create a little ditch in the middle. Gently place the reserved banana slices on top (if using). Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the top of the cake. Bake for around 1 hour, until a skewer inserted through the centre comes out clean. Keep checking at 5-minute intervals if it's not quite done yet. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for a while before removing using the paper ‘handle’. Cool completely (at room temperature) before transferring to a airtight container.
teaspoon demerara (raw) sugar

Notes

Substitutions:

Butter – vegetable oil (including olive oil) or coconut oil.

Wholemeal Flour – wheat or gluten-free. Or plain white flour.

Oat Bran – use wheat bran instead or replace with the same weight of more of your choice of flour.

Soft Dark Brown Sugar - use the same amount of white sugar or sweetener of your choice.

Buttermilk - you can make your own buttermilk by adding a 1 ½ teaspoons of lemon juice or vinegar to 115g/ml milk (any type). Let the mixture rest for at least 5-10 minutes before using. It will separate slightly and curdle.

Leftovers

Don’t store in the fridge. You can keep in a sealed container for a couple of days. You can cut slices, wrap them well in baking paper and freeze for up to 3 months.