CAKES - Other Cakes
Banana Cake
July 19, 2017
| Recipe by Bake with Paws
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A moist and fluffy banana cake is a delectable treat with a light, airy texture and rich banana flavor. Each bite melts in your mouth, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and a tender crumb.
I used very little sugar because I prefer a less sweet cake for health reasons. However, feel free to increase the sugar to suit your taste.
It is recommended to read the following notes before baking.
GENERAL NOTES
Butter
When the recipe requires room temperature butter it refers to a soft and pliable butter that is melted. The butter should not look shinny or greasy. It should still be cool to touch and not warm. During the creaming stage of butter and sugar, the mixing will create air pockets in the butter and this will result in a soft and fluffy cake.
If the butter is too warm it will not create the desired air pockets and this will result in a dense cake. Conversely if the butter is too cold, the butter won't expand easily and is also unable to create the desired air pocket s for a fluffy texture. Ideally, the butter needs to be soft and pliable but still cool to the touch.
Creaming Butter and Sugar
The beating (butter, sugar and egg) process has to be done slowly at a low medium speed and not more than a medium speed. The slow speed needs to be maintained when the flour is added. The flour needs to be mixed at a low speed as a high speed would develop additional gluten that will cause the cake to rise in the oven, but sink as soon as you remove it from oven. The sinking causes the cake to be dense. In short, over creaming will make your cake dense too. Sources from here.
Oven temperature and Baking Time
Do note that the baking temperature and timing provided are what works for my oven and should also be regarded as a guide only. Every oven behaves a little differently, so please adjust accordingly for your oven.
It would be good to use an oven thermometer when baking. This will help you understand and know the actual temperature you are baking at. The actual temperature in the oven may not be the same as the oven’s setting. Leave the thermometer on the same rack where you place your baking.
I usually bake cakes with top and bottom heats setting. I don’t encourage baking cakes with fan-forced mode as this setting uses a fan to circulate the hot air for quick baking or cooking at high temperature and may result in cracks on the cake. However, if fan mode is used, it is recommended to reduce the temperature setting by about 20C if using a fan-forced mode.
If you have any questions regarding this recipe or any other post, please leave me a comment in the “LEAVE A COMMENT” link and I will reply you as soon as possible. Do tag me on Instagram @Bakewithpaws if you attempt on this recipe.
How To Make Banana Cake
Yields: 1 cake
INGREDIENTS:
190g unsalted butter, room temperature
100g caster sugar (please increase to 150g or more if you prefer sweeter) *
4 eggs (big size), around 200g
1tsp vanilla extract/paste
250g mashed banana, around 4 bananas
255g plain flour/cake flour
½ tsp salt
1 ¼ tsp baking powder (I used double acting baking powder)
½ tsp baking soda
Topping:
Walnuts or any nuts for topping
Utensil:
7 inches Square Pan or 8 inches Loaf Pan (21.3cm X 11.2cm X 5.8cm)
* I used light brown sugar and blended it slightly so it dissolves more easily, like caster sugar.
METHOD:
- Preparation:
- Let butter sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until it softens.
- Grease and line the base of baking pan with parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 170 C (top and bottom heat).
- Cake Batter:
- Whisk the eggs in a bowl using a hand whisk, then set them aside.
- Shift flour, baking powder and baking soda, then whisk in salt together in a bowl and set aside.
- Mash the banana with folk or potato masher, keep aside.
- Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer till light and fluffy at low medium speed. Scrap down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
- Gradually add the whisked eggs in several batches, beating until the mixture becomes creamy.
- Add in vanilla extract, mix on low speed then add in mashed banana, mix well.
- On low speed, mix in the sifted flour mixture. Then switch to a spatula and mix until well incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Knock the baking pan on the counter few times to release any air bubbles.
- Baking:
- Bake in a preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted comes out clean.
- Optional - After 25 minutes, remove the cake from the oven and make a slit on top with a sharp knife to prevent uneven cracks, then place it back in the oven to continue baking.
- Once done, place the cake on a wire rack to cool, then remove it from the pan.
Labels:
CAKES - Other Cakes,
I love banana cake, so this looks perfect! I have to make this.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments. Hope you will like it too.
DeleteHi, is this cake to be baked with or without fan?
ReplyDeleteHi Evelyn, Thank you for asking. I used top and bottom heat. Normally, I don't use fan-forced mode for baking cake as it will be too hot.
DeleteCheers :)
Hi, would like to ask if the natter is supposed to be thick? I am making it now and the Batter seems really thick not like normal cake texture. Thanks! In the oven now, hope it turns out well ��
ReplyDeleteHi, Thank you for trying this recipe and your question. Yes it is supposed and not runny. How it is turn out?
DeleteOoh look at this cake! I love the combinations of flavors. Yumm.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipe. I have just tried, I was a bit worry the creaming butter and sugar process as not sure when to stop but it turns out perfect. It would be helpful if you could take some pictures next time when you bake this again and add to the recipe for reference. Thanks for sharing. It's the best banana cake that I've made so far.
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for trying this recipe and your kind feedback. Sure! I will if I bake it again. However, for the meantime you can search for Butter Cake In my blog and you can see the creaming stage diagram there. I hope it will help.
DeleteCheers :)
Hi, thank you so much for the recipe. I just baked it yesterday with the 7inch portion to a 12pcs muffin tray and baked at 180C for abt 45mins. I did fold in slices of banana to my batter and also for the toppings.🤣. It turned out so good!! Thanks and love all your recipes.
ReplyDeleteHi Jessica, Thank you for trying this recipe and your kind feedback. Glad to hear that you like it. It must taste very good with adding the slices of banana.
DeleteCheers :)
Yes, it tasted real good. I did a 2nd bake by reducing the temperature to 170C for 20mins, 160C for 10mins ans 150C for 5mins. I used 120g Caster sugar and 20g Molasses sugar. The texture was much softer and moist compare to my 1st bake. Thank you so much for sharing such a great recipe 😘😘😘
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing with me your experiment. I should try molasses next time too. Cheers :)
DeleteHi, is cake flour the same as self-rising flour?
ReplyDeleteHi, Thanks for visiting Bake with Paws. From my understanding they are different. Cake flour is very fine and low protein flour made from soft wheat. Self raising flour is flour already added baking powder.
ReplyDeleteCheers :)