Banana and cashew nut bread (just don't mention banana)

Rather than toss bananas "on the turn" into the chook bucket, they are destined for Banana and cashew nut bread. Just don't tell our eldest son...who doesn't eat bananas. Even though he ate them as a baby and a toddler, he developed a dislike for the smell and texture of bananas, and at different times in his life hasn't even been able to stay in the same room as someone eating a banana. Now when bananas are squished beyond recognition and baked with butter, brown sugar, eggs and flour, they become extremely palatable for him. We just call it butter cake, with a knowing look between the parents.

This recipe was saved from The Sydney Morning Herald, Good Living from March 16, 2010 (author unknown sorry) and it suggests serving the bread fresh from the oven or toasted. I like the decorative effect of pressing a couple of lengthways sliced banana into the top of banana bread, but if I did that it would give the key ingredient away. Banana and cashew nut bread packs well and is a nutrient dense addition to school lunch boxes, and is delicious and restorative served with a pot of hot tea.

Banana and cashew nut bread (SMH, Good Living, March 16, 2010)

Ingredients: 125g butter, softened, 130g brown sugar, plus extra for sprinkling, 400g ripe banana, mashed with a fork, 3 eggs, 1/4 cup milk, 300g plain flour (I used wholemeal), 2 tsp baking powder, 2 pinches salt, 200g cashews, lightly toasted and roughly chopped.

Method: Pre-heat oven to 180C. Grease and lightly flour a 27cm x 12cm x 6cm loaf tin. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add banana and combine. Add eggs one at a time, then milk, and stir until combined. Fold through remaining dry ingredients and spoon into tin. Sprinkle top with brown sugar. Bake for one hour or until risen in the middle and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for five minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Serve with whipped butter. Serves 12.

To make whipped butter, whisk very soft butter together with equal weight of icing sugar until light and fluffy.

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