If you like bananas and hazelnut then you will enjoy this banana cake recipe with hazelnut.

Some backgrounds on Banana plant

Known as the tree of wisdom to the ancient, the banana originated in Asia and has spread throughout the tropical belt that surrounds the earth. The banana tree produces all year round and provides around 200 to 250 fruits that develop in a hanging cluster. The hanging cluster is also known as a bunch comprising of 20 to 30 tiers and in each tier there up to 20 fruits. The bananas that we know best are yellow, but there are many other varieties, such as pink bananas, very tender and sweeter or the dwarf banana which does not measure more than 5 cm long and they come from the Antilles. Don’t get confused by bananas and plantains. Plantains are usually large bananas with green and firm flesh which is consumed by cooking There is usually two main ways a banana can be consumed. One which is very common as a fruit when ripe and another way is it consumed as a vegetable. This one usually is raw and can only be consumed when cooked. In our culture, we use it a lot in fish recipes and also used it as smashed potatoes known as “Kala Bharta” in other words smashed banana which is usually boiled and then we add onion, fresh coriander leaves and very hot chilies. It’s a real yummy. OK! enough chatting, let’s us make the banana cake now!

Banana cake with hazelnut

For 6 persons   -  Preparation: 20 minutes  -  Baking: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

4 medium sized bananas but not too much ripe 75 grams of flour 50 grams of hazelnut powder 100 grams of brown sugar 1 teas poon of baking powder 3 medium sized eggs 100 ml milk) 100 ml peanuts oil Zest of 1 lemon ¼ teas poon of vanilla powder ¼ tea spoon of cinnamon powder 1 table spoon of amber rum For the Cake Pan: Some butter to grease the mold

Procedure:

Turn on the oven and regulate it to thermostat 6 (200° C). Next grease a cake pan with the butter. Peel the bananas and cut these into oblique slices of 3 to 5 mm thickness and keep them aside. Next in a bowl add all the rest of the ingredients, the flour, the hazelnut powder, the baking powder, 3 eggs, 100 ml of milk, 100 ml of peanut oil, the zest of lemon, the cinnamon and vanilla powder, 1 table spoon of amber rum and 80 grams of brown sugar. Mix for 1 minute in a mixer, then add the banana slices to the mixer and mix them well. Take half of the remaining brown sugar (10 grams) and sprinkle on the greased cake pan. Then pour the cake mixer. Slide the cake pan in to the oven and let it bake for 40 minutes. Powder the cake with the remaining sugar 5 minutes before taking the cake out of the oven. When the cake is turns golden brown, remove it from oven and let it cool down 10 minutes before taking it out of the cake pan.

Preservation

Bananas should be stored at room temperature; it does not like the cold. If it starts getting black spots then consume them as soon as possible.

Its nutritional value

It provides carbohydrates, potassium, magnesium and vitamins group B. It also other micronutrients such as iron, zinc and copper. Bananas are one of my favorite fruit and it is also a part of my morning breakfast that I have; one banana and a glass of fresh orange juice keeps me healthy and energetic all day.