Banana cake

This is best made with very ripe bananas. If you don’t need it to be gluten-free, use plain flour.

SERVES 8-10 PREP 20min, plus cooling COOK about 1hr

• 125g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease

• 125g (4oz) light muscovado sugar

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 50g (2oz) smooth apple sauce

• 3 very ripe bananas, about 375g (13oz) peeled weight, mashed

• 1½tsp mixed spice

• 150g (5oz) gluten-free plain flour blend (we used Doves Farm)

• 1tsp gluten-free baking powder

FOR THE ICING

• 75g (3oz) unsalted butter, softened

• 100g (3½oz) icing sugar, sifted

• 50g (2oz) light muscovado sugar

• ½tbsp milk, optional

• Dried banana chips, to decorate, optional

1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Grease and line the base and sides of a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with baking parchment.

2 To make the cake, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a handheld electric whisk until pale and creamy. Gradually whisk in the eggs, then the apple sauce. Stir through the bananas.

3 Sift over the spice, flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Fold together with a large metal spoon (mixture may look a little curdled); empty into tin. Bake for 50min-1hr, or until risen and a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in tin for 10min, then take out and cool completely on a wire rack.

4 For the icing, whisk together butter and both sugars until smooth. If needed, add milk to loosen to a spreadable consistency. Spread over top of cooled cake. Decorate with banana chips, if using.

PER SERVING (FOR 10): CALS 363; FAT 18G; SAT FAT 11G; CARBS 50G