old-fashioned banana cake

I have always wanted to add a fluted tube pan or commonly known as bundt pan to my kitchen collection. However, my old oven seems too small for a 10" cake pan. Now, with a much bigger oven, I didn't wait too long to get my hands on one of those non-stick bundt pans when I dropped by a local baking supply store. There was only one sitting on the shelf, and I thought it must be waiting, all this while, for me ;)

No, it is not a Nordic Ware bundt pan...it is a much cheaper version. As you can see, the ridges on the finished cake is not as clear or distinct compared to those baked with a Nordic Ware pan. But, I am still very happy with it :)

A Bundt pan is a fluted (with indents and ridges) tube pan. The word Bundt is actually a registered trademark of Northland Aluminum Products Inc., the maker of Nordic Ware. Bundt is derived from the German word “bund,” which means “a gathering of people.” Hope over here if you are interested to know the story behind the bundt pan.

A bundt pan is great for making cakes that have got dense batters, eg coffee cakes. Just like a chiffon tube pan, the hole or the tube in the centre of a bundt pan promotes even baking. The fluted sides and ridges provide a greater surface area which produce cakes with more crust. With the attractive design, even for a cake decorating dummy like me, I am able to bake a lovely cake that I am proud to serve it to my guests. With only a light dusting of icing sugar, or a drizzle of icing or chocolate glaze, one can easily bring the already very pretty cake to even greater heights.

This old-fashioned banana cake is a basic cake that anyone can bake at home. I am sure it is also an all time favourite for many of us. Hoping to get a lighter texture, I replaced plain flour with cake flour and reduced the sugar amount slightly, I also sifted the flour twice, so as to incorporate as much air as possible to the batter. If you like a rich, dense and moist texture, then this is not the kind of cake you will like.

The finished cake is something I have aimed to achieve. The crumbs are soft, light and fluffy...not overly moist and yet not on the dry side...I could finish up two slices without feeling full or rather, guilty ;)

My late morning tea...a slice of banana cake with  a cup of 'latte'...my silly attempt at creating latte art, lolz. No, I don't have an espresso machine in my kitchen, just a simple battery operated whisk which I got as a gift, for frothing milk. As the picture couldn't speak for itself, I'll have to explain that I was actually trying to dust a heart on the milk foam...but it turn out like a lump of dirt (^^''') I will work harder on this.

I was blessed with a cool and nice morning today. The storm in the middle of the night has driven all the heat and I was greeted with clear blue sky. My quiet morning break by the window...all gone in 5 minutes. If not for my failed cup of latte, I felt as though I was enjoying a cuppa inside a cafe :)

I hope you had a great morning too...and not forgetting...

Happy 100th International Woman's Day to all of you!



Old-fashioned Banana Cake

Ingredients

150g unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
150g caster sugar (I cut down to 120g)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3~4 medium size banana, mashed
4 tablespoons milk, room temperature
240g plain flour (I use cake flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt


Method:

1. Grease and flour 10" fluted tube pan. Set aside.
2. Sieve together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. With an electric whisk (medium speed) beat the butter until creamy. Add sugar and olive oil and beat till the mixture turns pale, light and fluffy.
4. Dribble in the eggs gradually and beat till incorporated in the batter.
5. Add vanilla extract. Beat to combine.
6. Add mashed banana, stir with a spatula to combine.
7. Sieve over half of the flour mixture and add half of the milk. Fold the mixture with spatula until the flour is just incorporate into the batter. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and milk.
8. Spread batter into prepared pan and bake in pre-heated oven at 180 degC for 35~40 min or until golden brown or a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Unmold and let cool on a wire rack.

Recipe source: adapted from Food & Travel magazine