Banana and Coconut Cake (with Mascarpone and White Chocolate filling)

Here’s a lovely cake that’s light, subtle and delicate. Banana and coconut together are a great tropical combination and the filling is absolutely scrumptious.

Serves: 12

Time: 60 – 70 minutes

Level: Quite easy

Equipment: 2 x 20cm/8” round, loose-bottomed cake tins

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 3 ripe bananas* (about 360g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 240g softened butter, or baking spread
  • 160g light muscovado sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 80g – 100g desiccated coconut
  • 240g self-raising flour
  • ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 1 – 2 Tbsp milk (if using GF flour)

For the filling

  • 250g mascarpone or full fat cream cheese
  • 1 ripe banana (around 120g)
  • 150 – 180g icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 70g – 80g white chocolate, melted (optional, but very nice)

* If your bananas are neither ripe nor soft, then stab them a few times with a fork and pop them into the micro wave. Give them several 20 second bursts, until brown on the outside and soft on the inside. (Take care when peeling them as there could be a build up of steam inside.)

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 160C/Fan 140C/Gas 3. Grease and base line the two tins.

2. Mash the three bananas. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time plus a tsp of flour with each addition. Stir in the mashed bananas and desiccated coconut.

3. Sift in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spice. Fold them in carefully and thoroughly.

4. Divide the mixture equally between the two tins and level the surface. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes. Cool in the tins for 5 – 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool fully.

5. For the filling, beat together the mascarpone/cream cheese and the remaining banana. Stir in the vanilla extract then sift in the icing sugar. Stir in gently at first then more vigorously. This mixture could be used straight away, but will benefit from 30 minutes in the fridge.

6. For a more luxurious filling, melt the white chocolate in a bain marie or carefully in a microwave, using short “blasts” and stirring regularly. Allow the chocolate to cool a little then stir it into the original filling mixture. Again, it may need 30 minutes in the fridge.

7. Use the filling to combine the two cakes. Dust the top with icing sugar and add any decorations of your choice.