Ina Paarman's Banana Bread

Sofia had the astonishingly good presence of mind to divert her procrastinating over her essay into something tastier. This banana bread has been signed off as 'excellent' by two generations of Youngleson cooks.

Ingredients

125 g butter

250 g castor sugar

2 extra large eggs

2 T (30 ml) yoghurt

1 t (5 ml) vanilla essence (vanilla extract is nicer and less synthetic though)

6 ripe mashed bananas

4 T (60 ml) chopped nuts - I'd suggest walnuts (optional)

250 g flour

1 t (5 ml) bicarbonate of soda

1/4 t (1 ml) salt

Cream together the butter and castor sugar until light and fluffy.

Lightly beat the eggs with a fork. Add to the butter mixture, creaming it in gradually.

Add the yoghurt and vanilla essence.

Fold in the bananas (and nuts).

Sift the dry ingredients together twice (if you can be asked...). Fold into the banana mixture until well blended.

Pour mixture into a lined and greased loaf tin.

Bake at 180C (350F) for 50 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown and firm.

Leave to stand on tray until cool.

Granny's vanilla sponge cake

This is definitely the best sponge cake around. The family has reached a consensus.

Ingredients


3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs

1 cup flour
pinch of salt
1.5 teaspoons baking powder

4 tbls butter
2 tbls milk
2 tbls water

Set the oven to 200 C.
Beat together the sugar and eggs for 10 minutes until thick and frothy. (most important part!)
Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.
Bring water up to the boil.
Very gently, mix the flour into the egg mixture, alternately with the butter mixture.
Oil the cake tin(s) and cut greaseproof paper circles for the bases.
Pour into one or two cake pans.
Place immediately into the oven.
Bake for 15 minutes for 2 small cakes, or 25 minutes for one large cake.

Extra:

For a chocolate cake, take out a couple of tablespoons of flour and replace it with cocoa.
Passionfruit icing is delicious.