Banana cake with cream cheese frosting

• 125g butter, at room temperature
• 315g (1 1/2 cups) caster sugar
• 1 1/4 cups mashed overripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100ml buttermilk
• 225g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 banana, extra, to decorate
• Fresh lemon juice, to brush

• Cream cheese frosting

• 125g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 50g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 230g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar mixture
• 1 1/2 tsp buttermilk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a round 20cm (base measurement) cake pan with melted butter to grease. Line the base and side of the pan with non-stick baking paper.

2. Place the butter, sugar, banana, eggs and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor, and process for 2 minutes or until well combined. Add the buttermilk and process until combined.

3. Add the flour and bicarbonate of soda, and process until just combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Shake the pan to settle the mixture. Bake in oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes to cool slightly, before transferring the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, to make the cream cheese frosting, use an electric beater to beat the cream cheese and butter in a bowl until well combined. Add the icing sugar and beat until well combined. Add the buttermilk and beat until the mixture is pale and creamy.

5. Place the cake on a serving plate. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake.

6. Peel and thinly slice the extra banana. Lightly brush 1 side of each slice of banana with lemon juice. Arrange the banana slices, lemon juice side up, around the edge of the frosti

7. taste.com.au
8. Note : Used this tip and it turned out well : Didn't have buttermilk so used vinegar in my milk (place 1 tbs vinegar in measuring cup, fill rest of cup with milk, stir then let sit fir 5 mins or so, then use what you need).

Creamy Rice Pudding:

Creamy Rice Pudding:
For 4 servings:
1/2 cup short grain rice
3 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
2-3 Tbsp white or brown sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp vanilla
finely grated nutmeg (optional)

add 1-2 eggs

Use non stick spray in the slow cooker & turn to low. Put rice, milk, & salt into slow cooker, cover & cook for 4 hours. The rice is cooked when you taste a few grains & find that they disintergrate when you rub them against the top of your mouth with your tongue.

Beat 1 or 2 eggs (or egg yolks) with 1 or 2 Tbsp milk, then stir this into the hot, sweetened, cooked rice & milk mixture. Leave to cook for about 1/2 an hour longer stirring 2 or 3 times to prevent the mixture near the edges overcooking before the centre thickens.

Serve the rice pudding alone, with sliced, sweetened raw fruit, or with cooked fruit in syrup .

May be layered with fruit in stemmed glass dishes.

BUTTER CAKE

125g (4oz) Butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/3 cup milk

Have butter at room temperature

beat butter with vanilla until light and fluffy;

add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir in half the sifted flour with half the milk, stir until combined.
Add the remaining milk and flour, stir in lightly,

beat lightly until mixture is smooth.
Spread into greased tin,

bake

Hokey Pokey Biscuits

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1/2 cup butter

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon (large) golden syrup

1/2 cup caster sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

Turn oven on to 180.

Melt the first five ingredients together in a saucepan , stirring.

Take off the stove and leave to cool.

Sift the flour, cinnamon and baking soda together

Stir the lot into the melted mixture.

Roll the mixture into small balls and place on a cold ungreased oven tray,

Flatten them slightly with the hands, leaving room for some spreading.

Flatten more with a fork that has been dipped in water, so you get a ridged effect.

Bake for 15 minutes until they are rich golden brown. Take out leave to cool. As they cool they will harden.

NOTES : I doubled the recipe and changed a few things, see original below.

Blokes Who Bake : Thanks EBB for the link