Caribbean Cake

14/10 CARIBBEAN CAKE

Back to Black, well blackened Bananas at least, in the form of a culture confused Banana cake. Banana cake is the simplest cake to make, and is done all the time. That said I have a tried and true recipe which depending on my mood I always add new additions, and the end result is consistently different, adventurous if not always perfect.

Today the bi-carburious cake is sampling parts of Canada, Jamaica and Scotland. Canada in the maple syrup substitute for sugar (because I ran out), Jamaica in the addition of dates and coconut and finally a Scotch tipple. Perhaps influenced by copious number of Bond films I've been downing lately, which just makes me yearn for a stiff drink in Jamaica with Sean. But instead I'll settle for Banana cake heady with whiskey and coconut. Bottoms/Bananas up.


Ingredients (all approximate) -

2 Ripe Bananas
250g Self-Raising flour
1 Cup sugar (I mix brown and white)
1/2 Cup Maple syrup
2 Eggs
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Milk
100g Pitted Dates (soaked in shot of whiskey)
400g Shredded Coconut
Caramelized Banana/Coconut on top

What I did - Oven preheated to 180 degrees

First off I'm not going to lie and say this is entirely my own work. It is based off an tried and true Banana cake recipe which began as one of Stephanie Alexander's, but over time and laziness it has varied and this version has become second nature.

First cream the butter and sugar until light and pale. Then add in the bananas, I just mush them with my fingers as I put them into the mixer and then mix it hard until amalgamated (If you are doing my hand, then mush Bananas in a bowl with a fork first).

Now its time to add the first wet ingredients, the burnished maple syrup and vanilla. This should make the mix very wet, and if there are any lumps stress not because once the dry is added it will all come good. And with that, add the flour, spices & baking powder. Mix gently to avoid any explosions and once the mix coheres add the milk.

Its at this stage that the easy come, easy go ingredients are added, for today some leftover shredded coconut, and a handful of pitted dates. I soaked the dates in some whiskey to give them some heat when cooked, but give them a squeeze before chopping small and adding to the mix, so that they don't soak the batter or sink to the bottom.

Pour mix into a large lined cake tin, about 25-28cm and bake for one hour, but check that the top doesn't burn and that the center is cooked at the end. Because it is a very heavy wet mix it needs a long bake, but not too hot. Unlike what I did when I ran out of the house and didn't make it back in time enough. The finished cake shouldn't be as black as pictured - truly easy come, easy go.

To finish, or to mask the slight darkening, I made a some caramel shards with banana sliced and coconut to shatter on top. Simmer a third(ish) cup of sugar and a tablespoon of water until caramel, without stirring only swirl the pan if needed. Add the banana/coconut and pour on some baking parchment to cool. Massacre with a knife and crumble on top. All mistakes covered ;)

JG