Pumpkin and banana cake recipe

Angela Hartnett
·1 min read
Pumpkin and banana cake - Haarala Hamilton and Valerie Berry
Pumpkin and banana cake - Haarala Hamilton and Valerie Berry

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 70-90 minutes

SERVES

Six

INGREDIENTS

  • 175g plain flour

  • 2 tsp baking powder

  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

  • ½ tsp salt

  • 150g caster sugar

  • 125g butter, softened

  • 2 large eggs, beaten

  • 3 small, very ripe bananas (about 200g in weight without skin), mashed

  • 150g pumpkin puree

  • 60g walnuts, roughly chopped, plus 10 walnut halves for the top

METHOD

  1. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/Gas 5. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin.

  2. Place the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a mixing bowl.

  3. In another bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Gradually add the eggs to the sugar mixture, mixing well between each addition, then stir in the banana flesh and pumpkin puree. It will split but don’t worry; the flour when added will homogenise the mixture. Stir in the chopped walnuts.

  4. Add the flour, mixing well, then pour the batter into the lined loaf tin. Scatter the walnut halves over the top, pressing them gently in.

  5. Bake for 70-90 minutes, or until nicely coloured on top and risen. Cover the tin with foil for the last 10 minutes if it is getting too dark. To test if the cake is ready, put a skewer though the centre of the loaf; it should come out clean.

  6. Allow to cool in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack, then allow to cool completely. The cake will keep in a airtight container for three to four days.