Sep 20, 2004
Spiced Banana and Walnut Cake
Ingredients:
250g (8oz) self-raising flour
125g (4 oz) butter/margarine
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
125g (4 oz) caster sugar
grated rind of one lemon OR hearty squeeze of lemon juice
2 eggs, beaten
3 bananas, mashed to within an inch of their lives with a fork – the squishier the better (helps if they’re softish to begin with)
hearty handful of walnuts
hearty handful of sultanas
6 heaped tbsp honey (set is better)
How to do it:
You will need a cake tin, or a loaf tin. Alternatively, double the quantities of everything and use a roasting pan.
Pre-heat oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.
Mix sieved flour, nutmeg and cinnamon into a big mixing bowl, and rub in the margarine with your fingers. Yes, your fingers, those things on the ends of your hands. Make sure they’re clean and then rub the dry stuff with the marg until you end up with a sort of breadcrumb mixture.
Use a big wooden spoon (you do have one, don’t you? If no, a normal spoon will do, but be careful not to stir the mixture too much), fold in the sugar, eggs, lemon, sultanas, walnuts, mashed bananas and honey. The mixture will seem too dry at first, and very sticky. Once you add the bananas, it will get all gloopy, not to worry!
Pour the whole gloppy lot into the cooking receptacle of your choice and then bake for, oooh, about 70-80 minutes, depending on how efficient your oven is. My fan oven is like a furnace at any temperature, so it only takes an hour. Your mileage may vary. You’ll know it’s done when
a) the top is golden brown, the colour of, um, white toast and
b) when you jab it with a sharp knife (I’m going to assume you don’t own a skewer, because really, who does?) the blade comes out clean, or just a little bit moist.
Leave it to cool for a bit (the nuts and sultanas are like molten lava when they come out of the oven) and then chop into slivers and eat lightly buttered with a nice cup of tea.
You can justify the fact that you’re eating cake by reminding yourself that it’s actually got bananas in it and therefore it can count towards your daily fruit and veg quota. Honest.
