Chameleon Banana Bread

And the painting of the day is...

Dragons in the Sink

(Oil, 2000)

I thought we might need a kitchen theme for this one!

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About 20 years or so ago, I clipped a recipe out of an Australian Magazine and pasted it in my recipe journal. A few years later, I began to extensively change the recipe to reflect a lighter, healthier lifestyle. The result is the final version below. However, I use this base recipe to make several different cakes as the occasion calls for, or using whatever I happen to have in the pantry or fridge. The basic straight Banana Bread can be varied by changing: the sugar from white to brown, or raw; or using a complementary flavour of yogurt, soy yogurt, or goats milk yogurt; or use crushed Macadamia nuts, pecans or pistachios for a different taste combination. I’m still experimenting with different fruits and flavours, but this is what I’ve documented so far…

Basic Recipe:

BANANA BREAD

2 medium-large sized bananas, mashed
1 6oz or 8oz (1 cup) tub of vanilla yoghurt (or any flavour, really)
2 1/3 cups Self Rising Flour
1 2/3 cups sugar (white, brown or raw)
1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda)
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup oil (I usually use Grapeola or Canola)
2 eggs (1/2 cup of Eggbeaters)
2/3 cups chopped walnuts (or other nuts) (you can even add raisins or chopped dates as
well)

In a bowl, mix all ingredients together with a wooden spoon. Beat well. Pour into two well-greased loaf tins. Bake in a 350-375 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into middle comes out clean.

This cake keeps well for about a week as long as it is in a sealed container. It freezes well too.

OPTIONAL ICING:
2 cups of Confectionary sugar
2-4 tablespoons of hot water
few drops of orange liqueur (optional)

Mix well together until reasonably runny. Add a little more water if not. Drizzle over cake and then let set for 20 minutes until not sticky anymore.



VARIATIONS ON A THEME:

Pumpkin Bread:

Replace the mashed banana with 1¼ cups of mashed pumpkin; use dark brown sugar instead of white; add, approximately 1 teaspoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice; add two tablespoons of Molasses; and replace the walnuts with raisins or chopped dates.

Mango-Banana Layer Cake:

Requires two tins of Mangoes in syrup (this also works with peaches).
Reduce the mashed banana to one banana; mash the flesh of one tin of mangoes, combine with the banana - reserve the mango juice in a small saucepan. Use white sugar. Cook cake as per instructions, but use two round sandwich tins instead of loaf tins.
While cake is cooking, add contents of second tin of mangoes to reserved mango juice in saucepan. Bring contents of saucepan to boil, while stirring and mashing mango flesh to pulp. In a glass, mix one heaped tablespoon of Cornstarch and two tablespoons of water and stir until smooth. Add to contents in saucepan, and let boil for one more minute or until mix thickens heavily. Let cool.
When cakes are cooked and cool, slice both cakes into two. Spread cooled mango pulp between four layers of cake. Top with drizzled Optional Icing (recipe above), or cover with cream cheese frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
¼ cup (2oz) cream cheese
¼ cup (2oz) butter
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1 cup Confectionary (icing) sugar

Combine all ingredients and beat for 5 minutes, or beat with an electric mixer on high until well combined.
Note: Double this quantity to cover layer cake.