Banana cake with chocolate/lemon icing.

A kiwi classic. Rotten (mushy) banana's are the best for this cake.
Throw any old banana's into the freezer ready for future banana cakes.
Go easy on the icing (too much sugar is not good for you).

Banana Cake with Chocolate/Lemon Icing

Equipment

·      Loaf tin (greased and floured)

·      Mixing bowl

·      Measuring cups/spoons

·      Wooden spoon

·      Whisk

·      Sieve

·      Cooling rack

Ingredients

·      Butter, 75g

·      Sugar, ½ cup

·      Eggs, 1

·      Soft banana, 1 mashed (or 2 small mashed)

·      Vanilla essence, ¼ tsp

·      Flour, 1 cup

·      Baking soda, ½ tsp

·      Salt, ¼ tsp

·      Cinnamon, ½ tsp

·      Milk, 1/4 cup

·      Lemon juice, ½ tsp

Method

1.    Cream butter and sugar until light.

2.    Beat in the egg.

3.    Stir in banana and vanilla.

4.    Sieve in the dry ingredients.

5.    Fold into creamed mixture with milk and lemon juice.

6.    Pour into the greased and floured loaf tin.

7.    Bake at 180⁰C for 30-40 minutes until cooked.

8.    Remove from oven and let cool down before turning out. The cake may need to be microwaved if it is still mushy in the middle.

9.    Ice with chocolate icing.

Icing

·      Icing sugar, ½ cup

·      Cocoa, 1 tsp (lemon icing- ½ tsp lemon juice)

·      Butter, 1 knob, melted

·      Hot water, 2-3 tsp (lemon icing- 2 tsp)

Sustainability discussion

Banana (Musa paradisiaca)

One of the world’s highly valued fruits, the banana is rich in potassium and Vit A, C and B group, is high in carbohydrates and low in fat.

The best known eating banana is the Cavendish which has large, almost straight fruit and fragrant, creamy white soft flesh.