Banana Cake
NB: It was my birthday yesterday and rather than make a traditional birthday cake I decided to make my mum’s Banana Cake and thought I’d update the photographs on this post at the same time. I barely had 10 minutes before I needed to take the cake over to my parents so it was a bit of a rushed affair. I also have a slight confession, I misread the recipe and ended up putting 200g of butter in the cake instead of 115g! I did think it was a lot of butter when I was folding in the melted butter. But everyone still really enjoyed the Banana Cake so I got away with it. So when you make this cake it will look lighter and airier! So back to the original post…..
This is the best banana cake I’ve ever had and my mother has been baking it since I was a child. Scribbled on a slip of paper the original source is long forgotten. Many other banana cakes were tried over the years but none of them ever came close to this one.
For some reason (probably weight watching) I hadn’t baked this cake for many years and when my children saw it, with its glossy chocolate topping they had to have it before it had set. This made it even more delicious and I soon had them begging me for another slice!
If you can resist eating this Banana Cake before the chocolate sets then you’re a better person than me! Never happened here!
Banana Cake
Ingredients
- 3 Eggs large
- 200 g / 7oz Golden castor sugar
- 2 tsp Vanilla sugar
- 140 g / 5oz Plain flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 115 g / 4 oz Butter melted and cooled
- 1 ripe Banana or 1.5 black bananas mashed
- For topping:
- 100 g / 3.5 oz Dark chocolate
- Knob of butter
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 175ºC.
- Grease and flour a loaf tin (dimensions 21.6 cm wide, 11.4 cm deep, 5.5 cm height).
- Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla sugar until pale and foamy.
- Blend flour and baking powder together and fold into mixture alternately with melted butter.
- Then fold in the mashed banana.
- Put in a loaf tin and cook in the centre of the oven for about 50 minutes or until the cake springs back when prodded.
- Leave to cool for a few minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to fully cool.
- Make the chocolate topping by melting the chocolate and butter in a small glass bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring until melted.
- Scrape the chocolate out of the bowl and onto the cake with a spatula.
- Use a palette knife to spread the chocolate evenly over cake.
- Allow to set (we have never managed to wait this long though)!
Recipe Notes
Melt the butter first in a microwave on a low heat for less than a minute. Cover your dish with a plate in case of splatters!
For more banana recipes check these out!
Blueberry, Banana and White Chocolate Muffins
Leftover Pastry Banana Nutella Pinwheels
Why not pin for later!
Banana cake is my favourite. I’ll always choose it. I have not had it with chocolate on top.
This recipe looks great. I suppose instead of vanilla sugar I can add sugar and vanilla essence. Banana cake is a favourite of mine.
Thanks Maya, yes improvise with the vanilla that you have:-)
Oh yummy! Banana cake is my favorite! I don’t think I’ve ever made it in a loaf pan before. I usually make a two layer cake or a sheet cake but I’m going to make one in a loaf pan next time. Less cake = less calories! Thanks for the idea!
Thanks April-)
Every blog needs Banana Cake! Nothing beats it…….
That sounds like a lot of extra butter…… Well done for getting away with it xx
I now Kate, I hadn’t made this cake in a while and when I saw how much butter there was I really should have thought to double check the recipe but put it down to forgetting how to make it doh! It did taste really go still, there were no complaints:-)
What a lovely cake Camilla, I would never have thought of topping it with melted chocolate but that looks fabulous, I’m going to try it next time I make a banana cake!
Thanks Kate, I’m sure you’ll love it-)
That looks heavenly Camilla. I’d love a slice of that. Like now, right now! Sharing this!
Thanks Jacs, it is my favourite Banana Cake:-)