banana cake

Banana Cake

If there’s a recipe that I made more than any other growing up, it was this. Usually referred to as banana bread, this is really more of a cake: super tender, sweet and rich, with a delicate, fluffy texture. A far cry from tough or chewy banana breads. 

The original recipe uses butter, and I added that as an option, but I prefer to use olive oil. It might sound weird, but once it gets cooked into the cake its sharp flavor mellows, and it gives the most tender crumb.

 I’m not sure why but it doesn’t work as well baked in a regular cake pan. Cooked directly in a glass dish (I used a 1 quart rectangular container from Ikea) the crust can brown and caramelize beautifully.

I even used that same dish to store bananas in the freezer, thaw them in the microwave, mix the batter, and bake the cake! 

2 very ripe bananas (frozen bananas work well)

100g Demerara sugar (or light brown or white sugar)

1 egg

50g sour cream or greek yogurt (or another egg)

Pinch of salt

90g olive oil (or 114g butter, 1 stick, melted)

100g flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven at 350F (180C)

Mash the bananas, add the sugar, egg, sour cream, salt, and oil. Stir very well

Add flour and baking powder and stir until combined.

Pour in a glass dish preferably and bake until brown, 40 to 50 minutes.