Monday, October 29, 2012

Moist Banana Cake

I like classic food. This moist banana cake. Simple, easy, yummy and well received.


I adapted the recipe from here, but I did modification to the recipe and twist the method too.

This recipe is for 8 x 8 inch square cake tin. But I didn't want square cake this time. So, I just used a 18cm round cake tin, and a small heart shaped cast iron cake bundt tin.

Ingredient A (to combine and sieve)
  • 250g Plain Flour
  • 1tsp Baking Powder
  • 1tsp Baking Soda
  • ½ tsp Salt
Ingredient B (to combine and mash)
  • 6 Small Bananas, mashed, and it should weight about 240g
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice (Optional)
Ingredient C
  • 180g Unsalted Butter
  • 100g Castor Sugar
  • 4 Egg Yolk
  • 40g Brown Sugar
  • 4 tbsp Fresh Milk
  • 1tsp Vanilla Essence (Optional)
Ingredient D
  • 4 Egg Whites
  • 40g Castor Sugar
This is the small banana that I always used for banana cake. Try to get this banana if you are making this cake. It must be very ripe. Or else, the fragrance of your banana cake will not be ideal.


Method
  1. Pre-heat oven 175 degree. Grease and line 8 x 8 inch square cake tin. Or 8 inch round tin if you want.  
  2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, sieve, set aside.
  3. Combine banana and lemon juice, mash, set aside.
  4. Separate egg whites and yolk. In a clean and dry bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks, gradually add 40g castor sugar and beat until stiff peak.
  5. Beat soft butter, castor sugar and brown sugar on high speed until light and fluffy.
  6. Add in egg yolk one at a time, mix till combined.
  7. Add in mashed bananas, vanilla essence and fresh milk, mix well.
  8. Mix half flour mixture on low speed until incorporated, and another half, mix until just smooth. Don't over mix it.
  9. Put in half the egg whites in and mix on low speed. Pour the balance egg white in and FOLD using your spatula.
  10. Pour batter into pan and level. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

NOTE

1. Adding lemon juice into the mashed banana is to prevent mashed banana from turning unpleasant color while you busy mixing your batter at another side.

2. If you don't have brown sugar at home, you could just use all castor sugar. Brown sugar gives your cake nice brown color. Some people likes to use all brown sugar too. Your cake will turns out darker color then.

3. The cake is really hot once it's out of the oven. I always let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes before removing it.

4. Let the cake completely cool before serve. If you could wait, this cake taste nicer overnight! I always bake my cake at night, and serve it in the morning.


The messy batter is now ready...


Cake just out of the oven. Nice! Abit cracked tho.

Left : Max got me this 18cm round loose bottom cake tin from Tokyo Japan. Good quality. I love it!
Right : I bought this cast iron heart shaped mould from Shanghai Street Hong Kong. It cost me S$20.00. I like the size :)


I love my heart shaped banana cake.


The outer layer of the cake browned evenly. When it is out of the oven, the color might looks abit dry. That's normal. Once the cake is cooled, the cake will looks nicer. Moist and brown.


The texture is soft and moist. I really love it. I only used 40 grams of brown sugar. So, the cake turns out not so brownish. I like this color.


This is really ideal for a lazy afternoon tea...


With a cuppa Chamomile honey tea of course! :)


I hope you like it :)

23 comments:

  1. Annie, the heart shape pan is very nice lor! I like this recipe, and it so happen I have ripe bananas but not the small ones. I like banana cake a lot :)

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    Replies
    1. Phong Hong, I got this heart shaped pan from Hong Kong. Haha.. Nordicware have this. But it's 10 cups size.

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  2. Looks very moist like what you said. I can almost smell the banana cake from here! Love the heart-shaped pan you have!

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    Replies
    1. Oh! Although I'm very sure that you could bake much much better than me. I'm just a noob baker. But still, try it if you are free! Oh yes! I got my heart shaped pan from Hong Kong. I love it alot! :)

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  3. Nice looking banana cake. The banana really contribute moist and soft texture.

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    Replies
    1. Vivian, banana cake is the cake that I will bake often at home. Yep! The moist is just... Ahhh! Love it!

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  4. I just baked this and it's smelling great ! Can't wait to eat it. Thks for sharing the recipe =)

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    Replies
    1. Lala, thank you for reading my blog. How is the taste?

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    2. Not too sweet, which I like. Probably also because I changed the proportion of brown and white sugar to 50%. I did overbeat the egg whites, but luckily everyone who ate it still said it's nice =) It's a good keeper for a light and fluffy banana cake!

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  5. Hi Annie,
    The Banana Cake received high accolades from everyone (my hubby's colleagues and my colleagues too). One of my hubby's colleague is from Indonesia and she said that Indonesians have high expectations of banana cakes, and this cake is GOOD! My Malay colleague even asked me for the recipe. Best of all, it's easy to bake, such that my 3 year old son can help out too =D THANKS!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Daydreamer, I'm glad that your family and friends love the cake. Oh well, it takes both hands to clap. No matter how good the recipe is, if you didn't put in your heart and effort to bake it, it might not turn up well too. You deserves a hug from them. Keep it up! Do share my recipe to others too! Let's pass it on :D

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  6. Hi Annie,

    I tried your banana cake recipe however the bottom of the cake is still a bit tough and sticky, but quickly hardens after it is cold. Could you point out my mistakes maybe? One of my friend tried it and the result also same as mine. However, overall the cake is so wonderfully tasty. Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Stella, Possibility that your cake is under-baked. Quickly hardens after it is cold, maybe you overbeat the batter. So, the cake shrunk. Don't feel bad, try again! :)

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    2. Thank you, Annie. Of course i will try to make it again, such a nice banana cake, lol :)

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  7. Hi Annie,

    When the cake is done in oven, do we remove the cake immediately from the oven or should we leave it for a while for cooling. I have tried removing the cake immediately when the cake is done, result is my cake shrink :( .....any idea when i should take the cake out from oven when is done....please advice...

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  8. Hi May, Remove the cake from the oven immediately, place the cake at a room temperature area for cooling. If the cake shrunk, there must be other reason. You might have overbeat your cake batter. Dont give up. Try again! :)

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  9. Dear Annie, yes and sure I will again...thank you for your advice :)

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  10. Thanks For Posting !
    Nice & informative Blog !
    it looks so yummy...i wish i could taste it..slurp!!!I love your blog.The funny part is it is my favourite pastime to go through all the images in your blog, very good presentation and awesome cooking skills.

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    Replies
    1. Hi IFB marine, I'm glad that you enjoyed my blog. Do visit more often :)

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  11. Ingredient didn't list egg yolks, then appeared in the method...I baked this last night and brought into the office this morning. Everyone thought it was very good. Will try out your other recipes! Thanks, SY

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    Replies
    1. Hi SY, Thanks for the heads up! I've added egg yolk into the ingredient list. And im glad that your colleague like it :)

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  12. WOW! I have baked this cake two days ago. It was gone within an hour. It was delicious. I was surprised how beautifully it turned out, as usually banana cakes I baked in the past weren't as light and so well risen! I also made a banana & custard cream, sliced the cake into half and filled it with banana goodness.I only used 20 grams of vanilla sugar, instated of 100 grams caster sugar.


    Thank you for sharing!

    Kinga

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  13. Dear Annie,

    I just tried this banana cake recipe today and it was awesome! However, I got a big crack on the top of the surface. Any tips or suggestion to avoid crack surface? Yours look perfect!! - JL :)

    ReplyDelete