Wholewheat Banana Nut Loaf

I credit this recipe with introducing me to the joys of baking. High praise indeed, and worth it. Cake is one of my big weaknesses and this particular cake is, to me, everything a cake should be: moist, tasty, with the walnuts adding a lovely bit of crunch. Back in the 2006/07 academic year, I was studying for my masters and during exam time needed something to do during my revision breaks. That something was baking this cake. Once I perfected this recipe, I started experimenting with other baking recipes, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Makes 1 loaf, or alternatively 1 small cake/several cup cakes

Ingredients
115g (4oz) butter, room temperature
115g (4oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
115g (4oz) plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt (just a pinch, really)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
55g (2 oz) wholewheat (wholemeal) flour
3 large ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla essence
55g (2 oz) chopped walnuts (optional)

To make:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C/Gas Mark 4.

2. Cream butter and sugar together.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat in.

4. Sift the plain flour, bicarb of soda, salt and cinnamon into the egg mixture, and fold in.

5. Stir the wholewheat flour in.

6. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas up. I've found an easy way to do this is to prick the bananas all over with a fork, and then  mash with the fork.

7. Add the mashed bananas to the flour mixture, along with the vanilla essence.

8. Finally add the chopped walnuts, and stir.

9. Place mixture in a standard loaf tin (a small cake tin will also do, and the recipe also works as cup cakes). Bake in the oven for 50 - 60 minutes or until cooked. If using a fan assisted oven, I'd suggest checking on the cake at the 40 minute mark and keeping an eye on it. Reduce cooking time to 20 - 30 minutes if making cup cakes.