BANANA CAKE WITH COCONUT FROSTING

I just love a good banana cake. Make sure you use very ripe bananas, otherwise you don’t get a good banana flavour. The frosting is light and fluffy, producing delicious, exotic coconut flavours.

You can use this frosting recipe for lots of different sponges and cakes and feel free to try other flavours like orange blossom water. Sprinkle raw coconut flakes on top as it adds great texture. This recipe is a fantastic way to use up blackened bananas.

MAKES 1 Cake

110g unsalted butter softened, plus extra for greasing

150g light brown soft sugar

2 eggs

300g very ripe bananas, well mashed

4 tbsp soured cream ½ tsp vanilla extract 190g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

FOR THE COCONUT FROSTING

200g cream cheese, softened

40g unsalted butter, softened

50g icing sugar, sifted 3 tbsp well-stirred cream of coconut

FOR THE FILLING

80g butter

2 bananas, sliced

30g raw coconut flakes, toasted, to decorate

Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3. Lightly grease a round 25cm cake tin and dust with flour.

1. Place the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, and use the paddle attachment on the stand mixer, or an electric hand mixer, to beat on a high speed until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the mashed bananas, soured cream and vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Sift in the dry ingredients and mix together on a low speed.

2. Spread the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes or until pale golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

3. Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift the cake out of the tin onto a wire rack to cool completely.

4. To make the frosting, place all the ingredients in the bowl of the stand mixer or a bowl and use the paddle attachment or electric hand mixer to beat together on a high speed until well combined, light and fluffy. This should take about 2 minutes.

5. For the filling, place a frying pan over a medium heat and add the butter. Once it has melted, add the banana slices and cook until golden brown and caramelised on both sides.

6. To assemble, slice the cooled cake in half horizontally. Spread half the frosting over the bottom half of the cake and arrange the caramelised bananas on top, then cover with the top half of the cake. Spread the remaining frosting on the top of the cake and sprinkle with the coconut flakes.