The fresh taste and scent of bananas and the crunchiness of walnuts in this cake is a real temptation!
In the process of trying to produce something similar to Starbucks’ banana and walnut cake, I ended up creating something far better and simply irresistible. Also, by adding golden syrup, milk and lemon juice on impulse brought wonders to the flavours!
Over-riped bananas with black patches on the skin are the best for this cake. They are high in flavour and moisture, which in turn gives a delicious scent and taste to this cake.
Necessary ingredients:
| Over- riped bananas | 2 large |
| Soft brown sugar | 170 g |
| Margerine or butter (under room temp) | 150 g |
| Self-raising flour | 225 g |
| Eggs | 2 |
| Fresh milk | 2 tbsp |
| Golden syrup | 1 tbsp |
| Salt | 3 pinches |
| Lemon juice | 1 tsp |
| Bicarbonate of soda | 1 & 1/2 tsp |
| Walnuts crushed (extra handful for sprinkling on the top) | 60 g |
| Golden syrup | 1 tbsp |
Let’s make :
Set the Oven to 180 C
Mash the bananas
- Using a fork gently mash the bananas and keep aside
Cream the batter
- Cream margerine with sugar using the electric hand or stand mixer
- Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition
- Beat for 2 mins until creamy
- Add the mashed banana and beat just one round
- Add salt and bicarb to flour and sieve on to the batter
- Add lemon juice and vanilla
- Add golden syrup
- Using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix all into a smooth batter
- Add crushed walnuts and give a good mix with the spoon
Prepare the tray
- Best choice is the classic loaf tray for this cake
- Rub butter inside walls of the tray and sprinkle flour until all sides are coated or lay a parchment paper
- Spoon the batter into a loaf tin
- Sprinkle a handful of crushed walnuts on the top
Bake
- Place in the bottom shelf of the oven as this is a very wet cake and needs to be baked nice and slow
- Bake for 30 – 40 mins or when stabbed with a skewer, it should come clean
- After 1/2 hr, if the top of the cake is browned but the middle is still soggy, cover the top with a foil paper or baking sheet and bake furthermore
- After 40 mins stab a skewer into the middle and check if it comes clean
- Take out of the oven
- Let the cake rest in the tray itself for 10 mins
- Take out and wrap with a foil paper and keep until it cools down completely (This will evenly distribute the warmth and make the cake moist)
Serve
- Take a long bread knife and dip it in boiling water for 2 mins. Wipe the water (This will prevent the cake from crumbling while cutting)
- Now cut the cake into dainty slices very gently as the walnuts can come between the knife
- Serve with a hot cup of coffee
