Serves 6-8 generously
Everyone will go bananas for this deliciously light banana cake topped with lemon icing – it’s just the tops!
Don’t get this cake confused with banana bread, it’s a different breed of baked good entirely – light, fluffy with icing that is finger licking good!
If you have unloved, unwanted, super ripe bananas, then this is the recipe for you. In fact, even if you don’t have any unloved, unwanted, super ripe bananas, go and get yourself some fresh ones and wait for them to be super ripe, just so you can make this cake, because it is that delicious!
Our local little Coles closed down and in it’s place opened an IGA – I miss the low prices of a bigger supermarket chain but love the variety of a smaller one. Variety aside, IGA sells brown bananas which has 2 big advantages a) they’re cheaper than regular (gold-plated) bananas and b) they’re ready to bake with right away. The brown bananas have been calling my name for some time now and finally I caved and bought some because what better reason is there to buy brown bananas, other than a cake makeover?!
So I gave this recipe a makeover and added in some traditional instructions because truly everyone should bake this cake and eat it. Even my neighbour, Luce, my harshest critic said she would give this 12 out of 10, I kid you not!
Are you on Team Banana too? What’s your favourite banana recipe?
Ingredients
185g butter, at room temperature
235g flour
200g caster sugar (or raw sugar if using Thermomix)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ripe bananas
1 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
90ml hot milk
FOR THE ICING
260g icing sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
35g butter, at room temperature
How to – Traditional
- Heat oven to 170C/fan 150C. Grease and line the base of a deep 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
- Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy,
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mash the bananas and add along with the vanilla and stir to combine.
- Dissolve the bicarb in the hot milk, add to the bowl and mix in.
- Fold in the flour and baking powder taking care not to overmix.
- Using the spatula, put the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the tin and ice when cool.
TO MAKE THE ICING
Beat together lemon juice, sugar and butter until creamy. If necessary add a teaspoon of hot water.
How to – Thermomix
- Heat oven to 170C/fan 150C. Grease and line the base of a deep 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
- Mill caster sugar for 10 seconds on speed 9
- Add butter and chop for 5 seconds on speed 8. Insert butterfly and mix butter and sugar for 2 minutes on speed 4.
- Remove the butterfly and add the eggs one at a time with the blades running on speed 3, this should take about 1 minute.
- Add the vanilla extract and bananas and chop for 5 seconds on speed 4.
- Dissolve the bicarb in the hot milk, add to TM bowl along with flour and baking powder.
- Mix on speed 4 for 10 seconds.
- Scrape down the mixture and mix again for 10 seconds on speed 4.
- Using the spatula, put the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the tin and ice when cool.
TO MAKE THE ICING
Add the butter and sugar to the TM bowl and mix on Reverse Speed 2 for 4 minutes. After 15 seconds add the lemon juice and continue to mix on Reverse Speed 2 until the speed reaches 4 minutes. Use the spatula to assist and scrape down the bowl, if necessary.
Prep time: 1 minute Cooking time: 45-55 minutes plus cooling time and decorating
The cake freezes well and will keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
