Banana cake with cream cheese icing and miso caramel
Don't feel you need to make the whole shebang here. Even without the cream cheese icing, this cake makes a great snack. Topped with the icing while still in the baking tray, the cake is a portable treat. For the full monty, swirl the miso caramel on top, as pictured, to add a distinctly luscious (and interesting) note.
Ingredients
150ml milk
100g sour cream (low-fat is fine)
280g plain flour
35g cornflour
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
180g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
130g light brown sugar
130g castor sugar
90ml vegetable oil
3 large eggs (at room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 very ripe bananas (about 200g), mashed
For the icing
300g cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 tsp lemon zest
150g icing sugar
120ml pure cream
For the miso caramel
120g castor sugar
75g pure cream
1 tbsp white miso paste
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan-forced). Grease and line a baking tin measuring about 30cm x 20cm.
2. Place the milk and sour cream in a small bowl, stir to combine, then set aside at room temperature.
3. Sift the flour, cornflour, bicarbonate of soda and salt together in a small bowl, then set aside.
4. Place the butter, sugars and oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl from time to time to ensure the batter is evenly mixed. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla, and mix until combined.
5. On low speed, add about one-third of the flour mix, then half of the milk-sour cream mixture, followed by half of the banana. Add the rest of the dry ingredients, the milk mixture and banana. Mix until combined, then pour into the prepared pan. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
6. For the icing, place cream cheese and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for one minute until smooth, then add the icing sugar, along with the cream. Beat for one to two minutes until thick. Transfer to the fridge.
7. For the miso caramel, combine the sugar with two tablespoons water in a small saucepan and place over low heat. Cook until the sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally, then increase the heat to high. Do not stir beyond this point, but swirl the pan gently so it doesn't "catch" and burn. When the caramel is a deep amber colour (about 10 to 15 minutes), remove from heat and add the cream – take care, as the mixture will bubble and splutter. Return the pan to a low heat, add the miso paste and stir until the caramel is smooth.
8. When the cake is cool, ice the top – you can turn the cake out onto a platter, or ice it while in the pan (handy if you're taking it somewhere). Spoon the cold miso caramel on top of the icing, then use a skewer to swirl it through to create a marbled effect.
Find more of Helen Goh's recipes in the Good Food Favourite Recipes cookbook.
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Helen Goh is a chef and regular Good Weekend columnist.
