Spiced Banana Cake

If you’re looking out for dairy and egg-free, this cake might be up your street. It’s easy to make and bake, comes out moist, and has enough lift for a yummy texture. Gyosei mentioned she was particularly fond of it and had happily munched away too many slices by the time morning coffee break was over.

If you didn’t know already, Zen River coffee-break is sacred. At the sound of the bell, everyone stops and sits down for tea or coffee  – with cake – before returning to their tasks. And you thought we were strict? No way! But coffee-break is.

So take a break, sit down with cuppa and a slice of cake, and enjoooooy…

Ingredients

TOPPING
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

CAKE
120 ml (½ cup) sunflower oil

110 g (½ cup) sugar
100 ml (½ cup) orange juice
½ teaspoon vinegar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon mixed spice
3-4 ripe bananas (about 300 ml / 1½ cups)
315 g (2 cups) flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons broken walnut halves

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180 °C (360 °F).
  • Line a 25 cm (10”) cake tin with a 18 cm (7”) wide sheet of parchment
    paper, allowing the ends to hang over the edge.
  • First make the topping by combining the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat the oil, sugar, orange juice, vinegar, cinnamon  and mixed spice with an electric mixer until small bubbles appear.
  • Puree the bananas until smooth using a fork or immersion blender  and then beat them into the oil and sugar mixture. Stir in the walnuts.
  • In a clean bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • Using a large, shallow metal spoon or firm spatula, reach to the bottom of the mixing bowl and cut and fold the flour into the wet ingredients until just combined. Turn the bowl after each fold so that the ingredients are evenly distributed. Work quickly and lightly.
  • Immediately pour the batter into the cake tin and level with the back of a fork. Be quick because the vinegar and orange juice will react with the baking powder and make lots of lovely air bubbles.
  • Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar topping  evenly over the cake. Slide into the oven and bake for 25-35 minutes, depending on your oven, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean and the cake lifts away from the edges of the tin.
  • Remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.

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