Super moist banana cake with lime cream cheese frosting This is a delightfully buttery, moist banana cake with a tangy frosting that lifts it incredibly. It makes a pretty big cake, and I almost needed to heft it in and out of the oven. It also bakes for more than an hour on a slow temperature oven - which allows the flavours to just develop and grow.  500g butter 2 cups of firmly packed brown sugar 6 eggs 2 cups mashed over-ripe bananas (about 5 large bananas) 4 cups self-raising flour, sifted Frosting 25g butter, softened 125g cream cheese 1 teaspoon grated lime rind 1/2 cup icing sugar (more or less as required) Juice from 1/2 lime Preheat the oven to moderately slow (160°C/140°C fan-forced). Grease a 25cm x 35cm baking dish; line the base and sides of the dish with baking paper. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined between additions. Transfer the butter mixture to a very large bowl; stir in half the sifted flour, half the banana, then the remaining flour and banana. Spread the mixture into the prepared dish.Bake in moderately slow oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until cooked when tested. Stand the cake in the baking dish for 20 minutes, before turning onto a wire rack to cool.For the lime cream cheese frosting, beat butter, cream cheese and rind in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sifted icing sugar, then juice. Spread lime cream cheese frosting over the cold cake. Mark the top with a cake comb or fork, if desired. 

Super moist banana cake with lime cream cheese frosting


This is a delightfully buttery, moist banana cake with a tangy frosting that lifts it incredibly. It makes a pretty big cake, and I almost needed to heft it in and out of the oven. It also bakes for more than an hour on a slow temperature oven - which allows the flavours to just develop and grow. 

500g butter

2 cups of firmly packed brown sugar

6 eggs

2 cups mashed over-ripe bananas (about 5 large bananas)

4 cups self-raising flour, sifted

Frosting

25g butter, softened

125g cream cheese

1 teaspoon grated lime rind

1/2 cup icing sugar (more or less as required)

Juice from 1/2 lime

Preheat the oven to moderately slow (160°C/140°C fan-forced). Grease a 25cm x 35cm baking dish; line the base and sides of the dish with baking paper. 

Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined between additions. Transfer the butter mixture to a very large bowl; stir in half the sifted flour, half the banana, then the remaining flour and banana. Spread the mixture into the prepared dish.

Bake in moderately slow oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until cooked when tested. Stand the cake in the baking dish for 20 minutes, before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

For the lime cream cheese frosting, beat butter, cream cheese and rind in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sifted icing sugar, then juice. 

Spread lime cream cheese frosting over the cold cake. Mark the top with a cake comb or fork, if desired. 

    May 5 2013
    Malaysian Kapitan Chicken Curry A beautiful tangy Malaysian curry, that draws influence from the Malaysian Peranakan Nyonya’s - and includes a fragrant combination of kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal and ginger.  1 whole chicken cut into small pieces (your butcher can do this for you) 4 kaffir lime leaves (1 lime leaf = both segments) - slivered 2 potatoes, quartered Vegetable oil Squeeze of lime juice 400ml coconut milk  1/2 tablespoon grated palm sugar Sea salt to taste Spice paste*: *blend all ingredients below to a paste 15 shallots peeled 4 cloves garlic - peeled and lightly bruised 3 stalks lemongrass (bottom white part only - lightly bruised) 5 fresh red chillis 10 dried red chilllis - soaked in hot water for 10 minutes 1 1/2 inch fresh galangal 1/2 inch fresh tumeric 1/2 inch fresh ginger 3 macadamia nuts 1/4 tablespoon of belacan (shrimp paste) Blend all spice paste ingredients to a fine paste. You might need to add some water  In a large casserole dish, add the vegetable oil. When hot, add the spice paste and fry for 2-3 minutes until aromatic. Add half of the slivered kaffir lime leaves and fry till aromatic.  Add the chicken pieces and coat with the spice paste. Fry for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is well coated. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil.  Add the remaining kaffir lime leaves and potatoes. Reduce the flame to the lowest setting, and cover the pot to leave the curry to simmer. Check after 30 minutes, add the grated palm sugar, and salt to taste. Simmer for another 30 minutes.  Remove the cover, increase the flame to high, and reduce the gravy to a thick consistency. Keep a watch over it at this point to prevent burning. Finish off with the squeeze of lime juice Serve with steamed rice and enjoy! 

    Malaysian Kapitan Chicken Curry



    A beautiful tangy Malaysian curry, that draws influence from the Malaysian Peranakan Nyonya’s - and includes a fragrant combination of kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal and ginger. 

    1 whole chicken cut into small pieces (your butcher can do this for you)

    4 kaffir lime leaves (1 lime leaf = both segments) - slivered

    2 potatoes, quartered

    Vegetable oil

    Squeeze of lime juice

    400ml coconut milk 

    1/2 tablespoon grated palm sugar

    Sea salt to taste

    Spice paste*:

    *blend all ingredients below to a paste

    15 shallots peeled

    4 cloves garlic - peeled and lightly bruised

    3 stalks lemongrass (bottom white part only - lightly bruised)

    5 fresh red chillis

    10 dried red chilllis - soaked in hot water for 10 minutes

    1 1/2 inch fresh galangal

    1/2 inch fresh tumeric

    1/2 inch fresh ginger

    3 macadamia nuts

    1/4 tablespoon of belacan (shrimp paste)

    Blend all spice paste ingredients to a fine paste. You might need to add some water 

    In a large casserole dish, add the vegetable oil. When hot, add the spice paste and fry for 2-3 minutes until aromatic. Add half of the slivered kaffir lime leaves and fry till aromatic. 

    Add the chicken pieces and coat with the spice paste. Fry for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is well coated. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil. 

    Add the remaining kaffir lime leaves and potatoes. Reduce the flame to the lowest setting, and cover the pot to leave the curry to simmer. Check after 30 minutes, add the grated palm sugar, and salt to taste. Simmer for another 30 minutes. 

    Remove the cover, increase the flame to high, and reduce the gravy to a thick consistency. Keep a watch over it at this point to prevent burning. Finish off with the squeeze of lime juice

    Serve with steamed rice and enjoy! 




    May 5 2013     1 note