Saturday, 12 November 2011

Vegan banana cake with maple syrup

I caught a whiff of over-ripe banana while eating dinner.  Time to make banana cake.  I had plans for a fancy cake but no energy.  Instead I creamed the (vegan) butter and sugar.  Then I put Sylvia to bed (which is taking some time this week), watched excellent Australia drama (The Slap) and then finished off the cake.  By the end of the evening I had eaten a piece covered in Nutella.

It was a vegan banana cake recipe in my notebook from my student days.  I don't think I have ever made it before.  It appealed for its simplicity.  Then I complicated it.  Only a little.  I halved the sugar and made it brown sugar, used maple syrup instead of water, left out the vanilla and added some walnuts.  It tasted quite caramelly.  Soft, slightly stodgy, and quite sweet, and quietly satisfying.

We have been enjoying it today for snacks though it is facing harsh competition i the way of nectarines, which have just come into season.  Bananas are finally coming down in price again after Cyclone Yasi.  So we may start to take them for granted again, but it means that banana cake will once more be commonplace in Melbourne homes.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe
This time last year: NCR: Quinoa Soup and Archeology
This time two years ago: NCR Carrot, Chestnut and Lentil Soup
This time three years ago: Indulgently frugal fudge slice
This time four years ago: Swinging Pancakes

Vegan banana cake
source unrecorded

65g vegan margarine
1/2 cup unpacked brown sugar
1 cup mashed banana (I used 2 large ones)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tbsp oil
1 1/2 cups plain flour (I used 1 cup wholemeal, 1/2 cup white)
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarb soda
1/4 cup walnuts, crushed with the back of a fork

Cream margarine and sugar (I did this by hand).  Beat in banana, maple syrup and oil.  Gently stir in flour, baking powder, bicarb soda and walnuts.  Spoon into greased and lined loaf tin (or 20cm round cake tin).  Bake at 190 C (or 370 F) for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out cleanly.  Cool on a wire rack.

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9 comments:

  1. eatme_delicious13 November 2011 at 02:04

    Yumm I love that you replaced the water with maple syrup!

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  2. Choclette13 November 2011 at 05:31

    Your description of caramelly and slightly stodgy appeals hugely and the cake looks really good too. It made me laugh, you changing the ingredients - I'm the same and seem incapable of just doing what I'm told ;-)

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  3. Kari13 November 2011 at 15:59

    I am so thrilled to be able to think about making banana cake again :) I just bought a big bunch for $4/kg, which is the cheapest yet. And this looks like a great use of them - the maple syrup is a great touch.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hannah13 November 2011 at 20:49

    Banana, maple syrup, nutella... sounds perfect to me!

    Sylvia and I are on the same page again. I've barely slept this past week too, and wish I still had my mum to tuck me in!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Johanna GGG13 November 2011 at 21:12

    Thanks Ashley - water seems such a waste of an opportunity in a recipe like this - also considered milk of some sort!

    Thanks Choclette - I always feel the same when I see you change ingredients because I know the urge to do so

    Thanks Kari - wow $4 a kilo is amazing - bananas are really seeming commonplace again - which is good because I wont feel so guilty when they get over ripe!

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  6. Johanna GGG13 November 2011 at 21:15

    Thanks Hannah - sorry to hear you aren't sleeping - just hope you aren't rejecting your cot right now :-)

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  7. Anonymous16 November 2011 at 20:18

    MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM,...What a fabulously looking cake!
    Yum! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Cakelaw17 November 2011 at 21:40

    Aaagh!! You just reminded me that I forgot to watch The Slap tonight - and I have been watching so faithfully. Just when Hector's indiscretion is going to blow up - I must try and see this on iView. Lovely green colour on the pancakes.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ricki19 November 2011 at 13:34

    Banana cake slathered with nutella. . . I cannot think of anything that appeals more right now! It looks great, too. :)

    ReplyDelete

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