Best-Ever Banana Cake

Sweet, ripe bananas are the key to making a great banana cake. If you'd like me to show you how to cook the perfectbanana cake check out my blog The Ultimate Banana Cake.Prep time:15 minsCook
time:1 hour (less for smaller cakes)Makes:1 large cake, 4 small cakes or 12 muffin-sized cakes

250g butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed (about 2 cups)
2 tsp baking soda
½ cup hot milk
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder

Lemon Icing:
50g butter, at room temperature
3 cups icing sugar
3 tbsp lemon juice
½ tbsp hot water


Preheat oven to 170°C fanbake. Line a medium (23cm-diameter) cake tin with baking paper or prepare four 10cm-diameter tins (recycled 425g tuna cans are perfect – just make sure they don't have a plastic coating inside) or 12 muffin tins.

Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and bananas.

Dissolve baking soda in hot milk, add to mixture and stir to combine.

Sift in flour and baking powder and fold gently into mixture using a big spoon and a large scooping action to keep the mixture light. Do not over mix.

Spoon mixture into prepared tin(s) and smooth top(s). Bake until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean and the top is springy to the touch. One large cake will take 50-60 minutes, allow 45-55 minutes for medium cakes and about 20 minutes for muffin-sized cakes. Allow to cool in tin(s) and then turn out. Ice when cool. Store in a sealed container in a cool place for 2-3 days or freeze.

To make the Lemon Icing, beat together butter, icing sugar, lemon juice and hot water until creamy. Spread over cake.