Upside-Down Banana Cake

Ingredients

• 125 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 bananas, extremely ripe, mashed
• 1 1/4 cups self-raising flour
• 1/3 cup milk

TOPPING

• 50 g unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 2 large bananas, ripe

SERVING SUGGESTIONS (optional)

• 125 g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar
• 1/2 cup slivered almond

Directions

1. 1

   Grease a 14cm x 24cm loaf pan, and line the base and sides with baking paper.

2. 2

   Making the topping: combine the butter and sugar in a small bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved; spread this over the base of the pan; cut each banana into 9cm lengths, then cut each banana into four even slices; arrange the slices, cut-side facing downwards on top of the butter-sugar mixture.

3. 3

   Making the cake: beat the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a small bowl (with an electric mixer if you have one) until light and fluffy; beat in the egg until it has combined with the mixture; transfer to a large bowl and stir in the mashed bananas; then gradually stir in the flour and the milk. Once the mixture is thoroughly combined, spoon it into the prepared pan on top of the banana slices.

4. 4

   Cooking the cake: cook in a moderate (180°C) for one hour or until cooked when tested with a skewer; allow it to rest in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then turn it out onto an wire rack to cool.

5. 5

   Serving the cake: the banana cake can be served warm or at room temperature. Serve with fresh cream or sweetened cream cheese (see SERVING SUGGESTIONS below).

6. 6

   SERVING SUGGESTIONS: to serve the cake with sweetened cream cheese, beat 125g cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of icing sugar until the mixture is smooth, and serve in a separate bowl. Sprinkle the cake with slivered almonds.