You see, I never knew it, but several people told me recently that you can freeze bananas that are not going to get eaten but you don't have the time to use them for baking. Then, when the baking time comes free you haul those bananas out the freezer, defrost and you have your perfectly soft bananas ready to be transformed into something wonderful.
What these wonderful fonts of information didn't tell me was just how vile a defrosted banana is.
Honestly, I am not sure I will ever be able to freeze a banana again. Only it does prevent waste. And I do have a very good recipe for banana cake. It is based on the recipe in The Fanny Farmer Cook Book. (OMG! I am just too British now, and incredibly juvenile, because every time I think of that book title I smirk!)
It isn't the recipe from the book any more though, because I have changed it, played with it, doctored it up and made it mine all mine.
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| It's hard to show you how good something tastes with a photo. Really, you should just come over and share it with me. |
Here's what you need -
4oz butter (1/2 cup)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 bananas (approximately 1 cup) mashed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 - 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream as an alternative)
1/2 cup shredded coconut (not sweetened)
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Line a 9" square pan.
Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the mashed bananas, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Combine all the dry ingredients except the coconut and add to the butter mixture. Mix until combined. Add in the creme fraiche and the coconut and mix until just combined again. Put the cake batter in the pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes, until the cake springs back to your touch.
Cool and eat, though I like to eat one piece while it is still warm because it is so good! (If I do say so myself.) If you have a pathological hatred of coconut then leave it out. Otherwise, banana and coconut go together really well. This is a light, fluffy cake, not the loaf consistency that some people choose for their banana cakes. And it keeps well for a number of days. Which is good if you are trying to hide it from your kids so that you can have more for yourself.
Do you ever wonder why I complain that I can't lose weight?
Susan
My little 2 year old is blog 'reading' with me this morning and she said 'look sausage banana'! The cake looks lovely though, I am desperate to bake but don't seem to find the time
ReplyDeleteOh, I know the feeling about not losing weight! My husband is the cook in our family and is always trying out a new recipe! Don't be put off by the blackened bananas- think of the wastage you'll be saving!
ReplyDeleteI like to think of myself as quite thrifty when it comes to food, I hate to throw anything away, love using up leftovers etc etc. BUT I could not use those bananas. I guess I'd just have to make your cake sooner rather than later! LOL
ReplyDeleteEnjoy it :-)
LOLs too at The Fanny Farmer Cookbook. Someone might give us detention if we keep sniggering at the back of the class!
ReplyDeleteumm, I hate to say it, but we peel them first then freeze... Perfect for instant banana ice cream, cold smoothies and banana cake.
ReplyDeleteI'm with sasha, we peel them first in our house, they're still a bit gross looking when they defrost, but nothing like your first picture. We then use them for breads and smoothies, they work great!
ReplyDeletePeel before you freeze!!! lol The cake sure does look good tho... will try soon for sure... xxx
ReplyDeletemmm - get the kettle on then....loved the idea from your previous post too - and yes, french knots - nuts to that!!
ReplyDeleteFrom the thumbnail I thought it was some exotic sausages! It looks like a fab recipe and as luck would have it I have three over ripe banana's sat in the kitchen...
ReplyDeleteAs for the weight thing I made Malteser Tray bake at the weekend and thought exactly the same thing myself about losing weight...then ate another slice. Hmmm
ROFL. Those are nasty looking bananas. Peeling them must have been truly disgusting.
ReplyDeleteFYI your other friends are right. It works better if you peel them before you freeze them.
I only know because I tried peeling frozen bananas and thought I was going to get frostbite before I finished.
Bwahahahahah
Yum! I'll be round in a jiffy Fanny! Jxo
ReplyDeleteThat recipe is close to the one I use for banana bread. I don't believe it is that high in calories either. The freezing of really ripe bananas is a great idea as well.
ReplyDeleteI dont think I could have touched them ... let alone used and ate them!! Dont last long enough in this house to consider freezing... thank goodness!
ReplyDeletethank you for this little gem it looks delish and for the freezing tip .................they do look vile !!
ReplyDeleteand a smirk :))
I wonder what a "Fanny Farmer" actually does....
ReplyDeleteFanny and frozen bananas - I don't think I want to be spending any time here today!
ReplyDeleteLOL guess what I did this week... threw away a couple of frozen bananas. They just looked far too vile to use and I had fresh ones that needed using desperately anyway.
ReplyDeleteFunny timing!
Mmmm yummo. I like chocolate chips in mine too though. Probably one of the reasons I struggle to lose weight too :)
At least that book didn't read "farmer fanny"... snicker snicker
ReplyDeleteYou have the same problem I do, you just like food a little too much. This cake looks delicious. I need to give up my attachment to comfort food and then maybe I can lose weight. Nah...forget it.
ReplyDeleteewww, what a vile picture :-) although the last picture makes up for it: it looks delish and has made me very hungry
ReplyDeleteDon't just peel them before you freeze them, also mash them up. Trust me! It reduces the GROSS factor significantly. Peel them, pop them in a ziploc, squeeze the bejeezus out them, and pop them in the freezer for later use. I always freeze 3 together, then I know I have enough in the bag for my recipe of banana bread. CHEERS!
ReplyDeleteYup, I sniggered! I love banana cake, will have to try this recipe!
ReplyDeleteTake the skin off first! Cake smells delicious ;) Di xo
ReplyDeleteYuck! Thanks for the recipe though, I've got a load of bananas in the freezer.
ReplyDelete*boak* Sorry, even if I wasn't allergic to the evil little buggers, I'd still not touch those with the proverbial barge pole!
ReplyDeleteLooks super yummy although I did think you were doing something with those canned sausages when I saw the icon. Relieved you weren`t. Apparently, you can open freeze jacket potatoes and then you just bung them in the oven for half an hour. BTW, we had a labrador called Fanny - I can see you smirking already!
ReplyDeleteI've always frozen mine in the same way you do, who'd have thought to peel and squeaze them before you freeze! I put raisins in mine :) I'll be right over, in fact if there wasn't for a complete lack of butter in the house, we'd have had one today too!
ReplyDeleteUgh, I hate bananas at the best of times (although I like banana bread/cake) but they're particularly grim in your photo!! Fanny Farmer? Terrific job title!!
ReplyDeleteI don't make cakes, because if I do I eat them, and then I put weight on too! The bananas do look gross, but not much different to the ones in my fruit bowl.
ReplyDeletei have a few of those frozen banana in there now
ReplyDeleteThey do look a bit slimy - but obviously worth it. Ours never make it as far as the freezer as Child 1 uses them to make Banana Oat Thickie for himself and Child 3. (From the River Cottage Family Cook Book). They actually look pleased when Bananas have moved into the too ripe to eat category!
ReplyDeleteFact: I freeze bananas for cake all the time
ReplyDeleteFact: Defrosted bananas are the most disgusting things on earth
Fact: Mr. P wants to know if he can pop over because he loves banana cake.
I freeze bananas too for cakes. I have to, because of the climate here, they go from ripe to over ripe in a nanosecond. I'm not sure I'd like to be a Fanny Farmer, snigger.
ReplyDeletea friend described her fridge freezer, with many frozen bananas, as a "monkeys graveyard." I think it fits!
ReplyDeleteYes, definitely. Peel + ziplock bag + freezer. Then they defrost in the mixing bowl and have just the right texture to go straight into cake ;)
ReplyDeletethat cake looks awesome! the bananas ugh! I now know I can freeze them though! great x
ReplyDeleteThose bananas look disgusting but the cake looks mmmmmmm.
ReplyDeleteThat looks delicious...as for any weight gain...well stick to your chocolate diet and you'll be fine! ;o) LOL
ReplyDeleteI seem to have missed this post earlier - and almost wish I had kept on missing it - but then I'd have missed out on digital cake! Mmmmm! I think it is more slimming just looking..
ReplyDelete