Banana Cake

This was one of the few recipes I tried when I started cooking. It wasn't as easy as I thought it was supposed to be. I think may be I didn't know better in the kitchen at that time. I think it wasn't that bad, I mean we still enjoyed eating it. But now looking back, I think I may have over beaten the banana mixture - which made the cake a bit hard. I am definitely going to try this recipe again one of these days and see if I have improved.

The recipe as follows.

Ingredients:

125 g butter

1/2 cup caster sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 cup milk

2 cups self-raising flour, sifted

Butter Frosting:

125 g butter

3/4 cup icing sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup nuts

1. Preheat the oven to moderate 180 deg celcius (350 deg farenheit). Grease a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

2. Using electric beaters, beat the butter and sugar in a small mixing bowl unitl light and creamy. Add the eggs gradually, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla essence and mashed bananas, and beat until combined.Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

3. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the milk. Using a metal spoon, fold in the sifted flour alternately with the milk. Stir until the ingredients are just combined and the mixture is smooth. Spoon into the tin and smooth the surface.

4. Bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer comes out clent when inserted into the centre of the cake. Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

5. To make the frosting, beat the butter, icing sugar and lemon juice with electric beaters until smooth and creamy. Spread onto the cooled cake.

6. Toast the nuts in a moderate 180 deg celcius oven for about 8 mins and sprinkle on top of the cake.