One Bowl Banana Loaf Cake

This loaf cake is one of my favourite ways of using up bananas that are too ripe for me to eat raw. Not only is it easy to make as you really only use one big mixing bowl, but the finished product tastes very moreish. It will keep for a few days in an airtight container.

Apologies for poor picture - was not thinking when I took this!

The original recipe is Australian, so I have had to convert it as the British and US cup sizes are different. This means the quantity of flour is in 2 measurements/parts and I have converted the fat measurement to cups (57g = 1/4 cup, so 60g is just a smidgen over).

Alteration Notes - For a kosher cake, this recipe could be made with oil. For a vegan cake, you could use vegan margarine and an egg substitute (http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetarianvegan101/f/eggsubstitute.htm). The sugar can be subbed with an alternative sweetener such as agave, honey, stevia etc. To make it 'healthier' you can use wholewheat/wholemeal flour, or an alternative flour such as spelt.

To spice things up you can always add a teaspoon of mixed spice or cinnamon instead of the vanilla extract. You could also add a handful of chocolate (chips or chunks) or nuts (pecans or walnuts would work well). In fact, now I think about it, hazelnuts and chocolate chips would work well; I might have to try that!

Ingredients:

60g butter or margarine. I checked and it is about 1/4 cup.
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ripe or very ripe bananas, well mashed
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cup AND 2/3 cup of self raising flour or all purpose plus baking powder (for how much baking powder try- http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090103151224AAFSLH2). I used 1 1/4 cups wholemeal and 2/3 cup spelt flour.
2/3 cup of milk or milk substitute (almond, oat, rice, coconut or soya milk)

1. Preheat oven to 180 C or 350 F (a fan oven would need to be about 10 to 20 degrees less hot). Brush a loaf tin with a fine coating of melted butter or oil. Coat the base and sides with flour and shake off the excess.  
2. Beat the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl using electric beaters or a wooden spoon. When the mixture is light and creamy, add the mashed banana and beat to incorporate. Slowly beat the egg into the mixture. Add the vanilla extract and stir the mixture to combine it. 
3. Sift some of the flour (and baking powder if you are using it) into the mixture. If you are using a flour with the bran still in it, then shake that into the mixture after you have sieved the flour, as otherwise it will remain in the sieve. Using a metal spoon, fold the flour into the mixture. Add some of the milk to the cake mixture and gently combine. Follow with more flour, fold it into the cake mixture and then add more of the milk. Repeat until you have added all the flour and milk. The mixture should drop from the spoon when you hold the spoon above the bowl, if it does not, add a little more milk. 
4. If you are adding chocolate or nuts then add them now and stir to combine.
5. Pour the mixture into the tin and smooth the surface. 
6. Bake for 45 minutes. Test whether it is cooked by using a skewer to pierce a tiny hole in the cake - if it is cooked, the skewer will come out clean, if it is not ready the skewer will be 'wet' with cake mixture. 
7. When the cake is ready, remove it from the oven, and leave it in the tin for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack. 

You may choose to top the cake with lemon icing or to serve it sliced and buttered. I usually eat it plain with a cup of tea!

Recipe adapted from: Scones, Muffins & Teacakes by Murdoch Books