Pecan, Toffee and Banana Cake

My parents returned home yesterday after a month of gallavanting on the other side of the World (Australia and Singapore to be precise). It was all decided, I was going home to see them and then out to the wonder that is Glastonbury Carnival. However, plans fell afoul when I discovered I had little over £10 to last me the month and they returned home to fins their kitchen ceiling was falling in.

Instead Mum came to good old Bristol for coffee and Cafe Rouge, equipping my kitchen with a few unaffordable necessaties and of course a good old chinwag over some cake.

This really is one for the mothers. Also, great to use up those over-ripe bananas that no-one will eat.


For the cake you will need:
*175g soft butter
*175g dark muscovado sugar
*3 large, free range eggs
*1tsp vanilla extract
*250g self-raising flour
*275g over-ripe bananas (peeled weight), mashed
*100g pecans, chopped


For the topping you will need:
*250g cream cheese
*4 tbsp maple syrup
*40g light brown soft sugar
*1/2tsp vanilla extract
*50g pecan halves

Heat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a cake tin.

In a bowl, whisk together the cake ingredients, except the chopped pecans, for about 3 mins or so until it is light in colour. Stir in the pecans, spoon into your cake tin and smooth the top.


Bake for roughly 50 mins or until it is light and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven, cool in the tin for about 15 mins and then transfer it to a cake rack so that it can cool completely.


Whisk together the cream cheese, 2tbsp of the maple syrup, sugar and vanilla essence until smooth and thick. Stick it in the fridge to chill, until the cake is completely cooled and you can spread it on without fear of going runny.


In a non-stick frying pan, toast the pecan halves over a medium to low heat for 1-2 mins. Pour in the remaining 2tbsp of maple syrup and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds-1 min until the nuts have gone glossy and the syrup has almost evaporated. Cool.

Spread the frosting on the cake and decorate with the pecan halves. Put on the kettle and get your mum round. Enjoy.