I baked: Banana and Walnut Cake

Indulge yourself in this banana and walnut cake, perfect for those with a sweet tooth! It's a pretty moist cake, thanks to the banana used.

It is quite a hefty cake, so do share it with your friends (or else you'd end up eating it for the next week!).

Banana and Walnut Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Preparation time: 40-45 minutes
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes
Serves 12

Ingredients
250g flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
115g butter, at room temperature
150g granulated sugar
100g soft light brown sugar
2 eggs
3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla essence
50ml milk
35g chopped walnuts
Walnut pieces, to decorate

For the buttercream frosting

115g butter, at room temperature
300g icing sugar (slowly add 150g, followed by 50g each time and taste to find your preferred level of sweetness)
1 tsp vanilla essence
4-5 tsp milk

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease two 9 inch (23cm) round cake tins, and line them with greaseproof paper.

2. Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt (A).

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time (B).

4. In a small bowl, mix the bananas with the vanilla and milk (C). Add the banana mixture (C) and flour mixture (A) to the butter mixture (B) alternately in three to four batches and stir until just blended. Fold in the chopped walnuts.

5. Divide the batter between the cake tins and spread it out evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before unnmoulding on to a wire rack. Peel off the greaseproof paper and leave to cool.

6. For the frosting, put the butter in a deep mixing bowl and beat it with an electric mixer at medium speed, or a wooden spoon, until it is soft and pliable.

7. Gradually add the icing sugar and beat at medium-high speed. Continue beating until the mixture is pale and fluffy.

8. Add the vanilla essence and 2 tsp of milk. Beat until smooth and of a spreading consistency. If it is too thick, beat in more milk.

9. Set one of the cake layers on a serving plate and cover with a thin layer of frosting. Top with the second cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake.

10.Refrigeratethe cake for several hours for the frosting to set.

11. Before serving, take the cake out of the refridgerator and leave at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. Decorate with walnut pieces.