Classic Banana Bundt Cake

May 25, 2011 at 3:49 pm | Posted in Cakes, Fruit | Leave a comment

I think I have finally found the elusive banana cake recipe. It’s awfully moist (just the way I like my cakes) and the chockful of bananas add a wonderful depth of flavour. I also realised the importance of using really ripe bananas. Initially I wanted to make a cheese/lemon glaze but the cake is superb on its own.

adapted from Baking From my Home to Yours – Dorie Greenspan

3 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
225 g unsalted butter, softened (omit salt if using salted butter)
2 cups caster/fine/sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract/essence
2 eggs
about 4-5 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup sour cream or plain yoghurt

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees celsius. Generously butter a 9-10 inch bundt pan. Alternatively, you could use a 9 inch square/round tin.

2. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together. Working with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter till creamy. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed till pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each egg goes in.

3. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the bananas. Finally, mix in half the dry ingredients, all the sour cream/yoghurt and then the rest of the flour mixture. Scrape the batter into the pan, rap the pan on the counter to de-bubble the batter and smooth the top.

4. Bake for about 1 hour, or till a knife/skewer inserted deep into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Check the cake after 30 minutes – if it is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil sheet. Transfer the cake to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmoulding onto the rack to cool to room temperature.