Banana Bread (Nigella Lawson)

This is simply delicious banana cake. The texture is moist with rum fragrant from the soaked raisins. If you are banana bread lovers do give this recipe a try :)

Reference from Joyce, Kitchen Flavour, adapted from "How To Be A Domestic Goddess" by Nigella Lawson

Banana Bread (lined 8-inch round pan)

Ingredients:

(A)

½ cup golden raisins

6 tablespoons or 3 ounces bourbon or dark rum (reduced to 3 tablespoons)

(B)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

(C)

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

½ cup sugar (used 60g light brown sugar)

2 large eggs

4 small, very ripe bananas, mashed (used 300g, without skin)

¼ cup chopped walnut (omit)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

1. Put the golden raisins and rum or bourbon in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and leave for an hour if you can, or until the raisins have absorbed most of the liquid, then drain.

*Since I reduced to 3 tablespoons I used all together with the liquid.

2. Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl, and using your hands or a wooden spoon, combine well.

3. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and sugar and beat until blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the mashed bananas.

* I read instructions wrongly :P I beaten the soften butter with sugar instead. Nevertheless the cake still turns great.

4. Then, with your wooden spoon, stir in the walnuts (if using), drained raisins, and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture, one third at a time, stirring well after each addition.

5. Scrape into the lined pan and bake at 180C for about 45 minutes. When it is ready, an inserted toothpick or fine skewer should come out clean. Leave in the pan on a rack to cool, and eat thickly or thinly sliced, as you prefer.

I’m submitting this post to Cook Like A Star-All-Stars Anniversary Party hosted by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids, Mich of Piece of Cake and Joyce of Kitchen Flavours