Banana Cake with Chocolate Buttercream
Photography by Kelly Gibney.
Banana cake is a classic that is perfect for Mothers Day celebrations, afternoon tea or lunchboxes. The chocolate buttercream is a wonderfully rich and creamy topping. Adding a beautiful touch like dried rose petals or rosebuds will make this simple cake fancy enough for any occasion.
Serves: 10
INGREDIENTS
3 ripe bananas
3 Otaika Valley free range eggs
½ cup oil
½ cup plain yoghurt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Chocolate buttercream
200g butter, room temperature
2 ¾ cups icing sugar
½ cup dark cocoa powder
3 tablespoons milk
METHOD
CAKE: Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Mash in the bananas in a large bowl until as smooth as possible. Whisk in the eggs. Add the oil, yoghurt, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Whisk till combined.
Sift in the flour and baking soda. Mix until just combined, don’t over mix.
Pour into a lined 20 x 27cm oven-proof dish. You can also use a lined 20cm round springform cake tin (it will need a few more minutes of cook time)
Bake for 50-55 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted.
Cool completely before dressing with buttercream or icing.
BUTTERCREAM: Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to whip the butter until lighter and fluffy. Add half of the cocoa and icing sugar and run the mixer on low to gently incorporate it. Increase the speed to high and beat for 2 minutes. Add the remaining cocoa powder and icing sugar and mix on low again until incorporated. Increase speed to high and beat for 5 minutes. Add the milk, beat for 1 minute. Spread the cake generously with the buttercream.

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