A moist and sweet plantain cake with a spiced brown sugary crumble topping. You will love this.
You read correctly, plantain cake!
But before you chuckle, close this page and leave this site completely because plantains do not belong to cakes, give me a minute….
Plantains, lovely plantains
When I was in first year in university, my roommate’s friend approached me sometime asking “are plantains the only food I eat?” I was quite surprised but apparently any time she came around I was either eating boiled ripe plantains or fried ripe plantains. That day she asked me that I was about eating roasted plantain.
The plantain makes the cake have a light banana smell but you will definitely realise subtle notes of plantain in each bite. The sugary crumb topping is spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon, you will love every bite. Those crumbs 🙂
I was very anxious about the cake, but God being so gracious, it came out well and I had fun asking my cousins to guess what was in the cake. They have misplaced taste buds. Try it and have people guess the ingredient.
Now this cake has boasted up my confidence, I am on to try a yam cake next. Who is in?
- 1 medium soft, black and spotted plantains
- ¼ cup/57g butter/ margarine, melted and cooled
- ½ cup/ 100g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2cup/ 120ml butter milk
- 1 cup/ 120g pastry/ all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3cup pastry/ all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 21/2 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg each
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Pre-heat an oven to 180°C/ 350°F. Greece a 6-inch spring foam pan and set aside. Mix all the ingredients for the crumb topping and set aside. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
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Puree plantains till smooth with no lumps. Add butter/ margarine and sugar and mix together. Add vanilla essence and butter milk and mix till blended.
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Add in the dry ingredients and mix till incorporated. Do not over mix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the prepared crumbs on top.
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Bake in the pre-heated oven for 29 to 34 minutes (my cake is usually done on the 31st minute, do check early) or till a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
When choosing plantains for this cake, use a black spotted and soft one. It should be ripe, soft from the normal ripe ones but not over ripe that is totally black. Use pastry flour if you in Ghana, it is the same as all purpose flour. As with most baked goods, the flavour of this cake intensifies the next day, you can make ahead for an intense flavour. Sweet plantain crumb cake can be stored at room temperature for 3 days or the freezer for 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, slice and serve when ready.
Care for a Savoury plantain cake?
Or this easy chocolate cake
