Going BANANAS

We embarked on a series of experiments to explore easy recipes made from bananas. After playing around with so many banana recipes, we realised that if you wanna bake a 'No Fail' thing, just bake something banana. Really, the goodness of bananas makes about anything taste nice and good. Well, here I'm assuming nobody hates bananas of course.

Speaking of bananas, I learnt from Environmental Biology class that the famous Del Monte bananas we see at supermarkets are of the variety named Cavendish. Being seedless/sterile, Cavendish is cloned by replanting cuttings, meaning the bananas most of us are consuming are genetically identical. The bad news is that this variety is at risk of extinction because of a fungal disease called Black Sigatoka. Before Cavendish was the Gros Michel variety which once dominated the world's commercial banana business, but it was wiped out by the Panama Disease. Right now, the Cavendish is being attacked as well...oh nooo...if scientists fail to discover a viable back-up banana substitute, the eventual collapse of Cavendish means what??? No more bananas?? Now that I think of it, I realised other than the Cavendish and occasionally another smaller banana variety, I don't think I've tasted other banana types.

Well before it gets completely wiped out like its predecessor, lets enjoy our Cavendish while we can ok.

In this midweek entry, we shall start off with a simple banana cake recipe. Very soft and moist, one piece of this delicious banana cake won't be enough.

Lovely cake baked by Mum

Ingredients:150g eggs (approx 2.5-3)
110g Sugar
200g riped banana (approx 2 meshed into small pcs)
150g Plain Flour (or cake flour)
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Baking soda
100g Corn oil (or sunflower oil)

Steps:Preheat oven to 160 degree C.
Line baking tray with baking paper.
1. Sieve flour, baking powder & soda together. Sieve twice & set aside.
2. Using a mixer, whisk eggs, sugar & banana at max. speed till stiff/ribbon stage.
3. Using a spatula, fold in flour & mix well.
4. Add in oil & mix well till batter is shiny & flowing.
5. Pour into baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes.

Recipe adapted and modified from Wen's Delight.

Have fun and look out for our next Banana entry coming soon!