Banana and Cardamom Loaf - Now We Are Six

Now We Are Six

       

When I was one,
I had just begun.
When I was two,
I was nearly new.
When I was three,
I was hardly me.
When I was four,
I was not much more.
When I was five,
I was just alive.
But now I am six,
I'm as clever as clever.
So I think I'll be six
now and forever.

     

                      A.A. Milne

My blog turns six today.  I had intended to celebrate with a fancy cake, but life took over, and instead, I am celebrating with a humble Banana and Cardamom Loaf that I made earlier in the week.

On Friday, my blog received an unofficial pressie from Jacqui and Elena at work, who gave me these adorable heart-shaped measuring cups and cupcake toppers, because they said that my baking makes them happy:

Aren't these adorable!  These gifts made me happy.

My Banana and Cardamom Loaf is by Mike Wallis, from p88 The Clandestine Cake Club Cookbook:

It's not the prettiest cake (in the book they only have photos of a few pieces of it), but it's very tasty, with a lovely crunch on the outside and a soft moist centre:

 

 

To make this cake, you will need:

 

120g butter

225g sugar

2 eggs

300g plain flour

4 ripe mashed bananas

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon salt

75ml yoghurt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

 

Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius and grease and line a large loaf tin.

 

Beat the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer until light and creamy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a  time, adding one tablespoon of flour with the eggs.

 

Add the cardamom, bananas  and salt and mix well.  Mix in the yoghurt and lemon juice, then fold in the remaining flour and bicarbonate of soda.  Spread the batter into the prepared loaf tin (my batter was very thick), then bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour or until cooked through.

 

Cool the cake in the tin for a few minutes before unmoulding onto a wire rack to cool completely before cutting.

 

Enjoy!

 

PS  Is anyone in Melbourne running a Clandestine Cake Club, or would anyone like to start one with me?  I think it sounds like fun.