Banana Cake and Melting Moments

My Auntie gave me a massive bunch of bananas today, they had just gone past their firm stage. She's been so busy she hasn't had a chance to eat them. If this has happened to you, do not bin them! Just grab a simple viccy sponge mix and add the banana's. Perfect. This is a really great bake for children too, I made this with my Brother, Nye. He had so much fun, he tried eating some raw vanilla essence too behind my back! Don't know how nice that tasted, he didn't try to do it again. haha.

Looking a bit scruff, some naughty fingers stole a few when I went to get the camera! They really need some crushed walnuts for next time I think. I decided, the oven was hot and I'd seen these on tv recently so hey, why not... some Viennese whirls.

More naughty fingers, my little brother named this 'the big mini mac sandwich' I wouldn't recommend it, but he managed to get it down in one. I decided to make teeny tiny ones, just because they're alot easier to pipe. The mixture started drying in the piping bag and it got really stiff. But they still tasted really nommy.

Banana cake Recipe
1 egg
3 ripe bananas
170g caster/granulated sugar
170g self raising flour
170g soft margarine (butter is fine too)
1 tablespoon vanilla essence

1. In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar well until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla continue mixing. Then sift in flour mix well. Once you can no longer see any white flour, chop 2 bananas roughly and mix again until the chunks are smaller about 1/2cm. Or just look like little drops of banana :)
2. Preheat oven to 160 degrees.
3. Spoon a teaspoon of mixture into well greased cupcake trays. (I used spraying oil to get a better coverage, but butter is fine too!) 
4. Slice the 3rd banana thinly and add 1 layer to each cupcake. 
5. Fill the cupcake with a tablespoon of mixture over the banana.
6. Cook for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Tip - if you can't get your cupcakes out easily, you didn't grease enough! Grab a tablespoon to help scoop them out.

                                                                                                                               

Viennese Whirl Recipe
250g unsalted butter
60g icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
60g corn flour
250g plain flour

1. (Preheat oven at 180 degrees) Beat the icing sugar and butter with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until light, pale and fluffy.
2. Add the vanilla and beat again. Now add both flours by sifting and mix well until smooth.
3. Spoon mixture into pipping bag and pipe onto baking parchment or grease proof paper.
4. Cook for 10 minutes or until golden brown. This will vary with size. 5cm diameter whirls take 12 minutes.

For the filling - 
Some jam
100ml semi skimmed milk
2 tablespoons plain flour
100g caster/granulated sugar
100g butter 
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

1. Simmer milk and add flour. Stir until all flour has dissolved. Lay onto plate and cover with cling film until warm/cool.
2. Whisk together sugar, butter and vanilla essence until very pale and light. (15 minutes by hand or 6 minutes by electronic)
3. Add in the milk mixture to your butter and sugar, whisk well until all is mixed it.
4.  After your whirls have cooled spread a thin layer of jam to one side, then some cream mixture to the other and squish together.

Hope you enjoyed todays bake! Until next time xo