Banana Cake, and Date-Filled Bars

The following recipes, enjoyed by Playgroup this week, were requested by Félix (one of our Shining Stars) for making at home:


BANANA CAKE

125 g (4 ozs) butter (1/2 cup)

175 g (6 ozs) sugar (3/4 cup) - white or brown sugar is ok

2 eggs

2 large mashed ripe to overipe bananas (or 3 if bananas are small)

1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

2 tablespoons boiling milk

1 teaspoon baking powder

225 g (8 ozs flour) (2 cups) - try 1/4 cup whole wheat flour with 1 1/2 cups white flour 

Method

Grease and flour a medium cake tin.

Cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs, mashed bananas, then bicarb of soda dissolved in boiling milk.

Lastly add flour and baking powder, previously sifted.

Spoon into cake pan and smooth top.

Bake in a preheated 180C (350F) oven. Cake will take about 30 - 40 minutes depending on size of pan and how efficient your oven is.  Cool cake in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove cake and cool on wire rack.  Ice with your favourite frosting, or for lemon icing use 1 - 1 1/2 cups icing sugar blended with a tablespoon of softened butter and a little milk added to make a spreading consistency.

DATE-FILLED BARS

3 cups chopped dates

1 cup water

2 Tblspn lemon juice

¼ tsp ground ginger (if desired)

¾ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup butter

1 cup flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 tsp cinnamon

Method 

Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Grease (not oil) or line a 9-inch square pan with parchment.

In saucepan combine the first 4 ingredients.  Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring occasionally.  Cream butter and sugar, then stir in remaining ingredients until crumbly.  Pat 2/3 of mixture into prepared pan, spread with date mixture.  Top with remaining crumb mixture.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown.  Cool and cut into bars.