Nan's banana cake

This recipe for banana cake comes from disability advocate, actress, and digital media editor-in-chief, Hannah Diviney. Inspired by her grandmother’s banana cake, this is a great method to repurpose extra-ripe bananas!

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  6

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Stream free On Demand

Mix and Bake

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

Ingredients

• 125 g unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup raw caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup warmed milk
• 2 cups (300 g) plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• A pinch nutmeg

Icing

• 2 cups icing sugar mixture
• 20 g butter, melted
• 2 – 2½ tbsp milk
• 2 drops yellow food colouring

Resting time: 5 minutes 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease and line a 20 cm round baking tin with baking paper.
   
2. Using electric hand beaters in a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl until pale and creamy, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed.
   
3. Using a potato masher or fork, mash the bananas, then add to the creamed butter with the egg and mix well to combine. Fold through the milk. Add the remaining dry ingredients and use a spatula or large metal spoon to fold together until just combined.
   
4. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin and smooth surface with the back of a metal spoon. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to stand in the tin for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.
   
5. When the cake is completely cool, make the icing. Combine the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine with a wooden spoon, until it reaches a thick, smooth and spreadable consistency. Spread the icing over the cooled cake and serve.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Mix and Bake

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G