Banana, Almond & Maple Syrup Cake

Banana, Almond & Maple Syrup Loaf Cake

It's not often that there are bananas at JibberJabber Towers which would make themselves fit as one of the ingredients to this recipe as my son is the original monkey boy when it comes to eating them. However, a weekend away and I cam back to the horrors of all horrors – blackened and overripe bananas. I say horror as the smell and even the thought of overripe makes me feel all sorts of things which should not be described on a cookery blog. My Nan used to have a Jamaican friend who told her that bananas are best eaten when they have black spots on them. Nan said that as Harry came from where they grew bananas he should know best. My senses remain to this day unconvinced.

The 'horror' of overripe bananas

This recipe is one I have adapted from a Be-Ro book. I made it first last year and found a major fault in it as it asked for the nuts and fruit to be put on top at the start of the baking process. I was a bit unsure when I read the instructions and my instincts were right – the top was completely crozzled. The original recipe called for different sugar, nuts and fruit. I didn't have any of these in stock and since this is designed to use up ingredients that otherwise would be thrown out I didn't go out and buy them but instead substituted with what I had at home. My almonds were whole but I put them in a bag and gave them a whack with a rolling pin to turn them into 'chopped'.

As the cake uses maple syrup I am putting this forward for this month's Feel Good Food at Victoria's A Kick At The Pantry Door.

Equipment: 1 2lb/900g loaf tin, greased and lined or use loaf liners.

Ingredients

8oz (225g) Self-raising flour

¼ tsp (1.25ml) Bicarbonate of Soda

3oz (85g) Unsalted butter, softened or baking spread

4oz (110g) Demerara sugar

2 Large eggs

3 Large ripe bananas, mashed

3oz (85g) Almonds, chopped

2 tbsp (30ml) Maple syrup

Topping

½oz (14g) Flaked almonds

½oz (14g) Sultanas

1 tbsp (15ml) + 1tsp (5ml) Maple syrup

Method

1. Grease and line a 2lb (900g) loaf tin

2. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4.

3. In a large bowl mix together the flour and bicarbonate of soda.

4. In a separate bowl cream together the butter and sugar.

5. Add the eggs one at a time and beat them in. Add a little of the flour if required.

6. Add the remaining flour, bananas, almonds and maple syrup. Stir until all the ingredients are well combined.

7. Pour into the prepared tin and cook for 45 minutes.

8. After 45 minutes check the loaf to see if the top is cooking too quickly. Cover with greaseproof paper if it is.

9. Mix together the flaked almonds and sultanas with the 1 tbsp (15ml) of maple syrup. Spoon over the top of the cake.

10. Drizzle over the remaining 1 tsp (5ml) of maple syrup, cover again and cook for a further 15 minutes.

11. Leave for 5-10 minutes in the tin before taking out and leaving to cool completely on a wire rack.