Banana Cake

I'm always on the hunt for goood Banana Cake recipes, as I've *always* got excess bananas in my freezer department of my refridgerator. The toasted coconut on the top was a nice addition. The recipe states to bake for an hour, but that was far too long (in my oven at leaast). I baked mine for 40 minutes, so make sure you keep a close on the the time.

*Taken from Murdoch Books, 'Australian Family Favourites', pg 401, published 2007*

Ingredients
125g butter
125g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp natural vanilla extract (I used 2tsp vanilla essence)
4 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
125ml (1/2 cup) milk
250g (2 cups) Self Raising Flour

Butter frosting Ingredients
125g butter
90g (3/4 cup) icing sugar
1 tbs lemon juice
15g (1/4 cup) flaked coconut, toasted (I used shredded coconut)

Method
Preheat oven to 180C. Brush a 20cm round cake tin with oil or melted butter and line the base with baking paper.

Using electric beaters, beat butter and sugar in a small bowl until light and creamy. Add the eggs gradually, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add the extract and mashed banana and beat until combined.

Transfer the mixture into a large bowl. Dissolved the soda in the milk. Using a metal spoon, fold in the sifted flour alternately with the milk. Stir until all the ingredients are just combined and the mixture is smooth. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake. Leave in the tin for 10 minsutes before turing onto a wire rack to cool.

To make the frosting, using electric beaters, beat the butter, icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth and creamy. Spread onto the cooled cake, sprinkle with toasted cococnut flakes.