Cakes in the Staffroom

It's such a beautiful day, I know I could go out and picture something gorgeous! As it is, I particularly wanted to post a blip on our participation in The World's Biggest Coffee Morning on behalf of MacMillan Cancer Support.

This is our staffroom at 10.50 this morning. I pictured the table before everyone dived in. It was probably one of the less glamorous settings for a coffee morning today and we had only 15 minutes in which to enjoy it. Nevertheless, a lot of money was raised on behalf of the charity. My favourite thing was the fruit scones with jam and cream on them! I had a marshmallow dipped in chocolate with a smartie on the top as well and it made me feel very sick!

I took in Banana Bread. I was asked for the recipe and it was certainly popular. I made it at 9.30 last night, an adaption of Nigella Lawson's recipe. Here was how I made it.

Banana Bread

100g sultanas
75ml bourbon or dark rum (I used boiling water)
175g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
125g unsalted butter (I used Lurpak Spreadable Unsalted at room temperature)
150g sugar
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
4 small, very ripe bananas (about 300g weighed without skin), mashed
50g chopped pecans or walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
23 x 13 x 7cm loaf tin, buttered and floured or with a paper insert

1.Put the sultanas and rum, bourbon or water in a smallish saucepan and bring to the boil.
2.Remove from the heat, cover and leave for an hour if you can, or until the sultanas have absorbed most of the liquid, then drain.
3.Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas mark 3
4.Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt into a large bowl.
5.Add butter, sugar and eggs and beat well until blended. (I use my Kenwood mixer)
6.Add the mashed bananas. Beat.
7.Stir in the walnuts, drained sultanas and vanilla extract.
8.Scrape into the loaf tin and bake in the middle of the oven for 1-11/4 hours. When it's ready, an inserted toothpick or fine skewer should come out cleanish. Leave in the tin on a rack to cool.

Yum!