2 cups (250g) plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup (115g) butter, softened to room temperature
¾ cup (150g) brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup (80g) plain Greek yoghurt
2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 large ripe bananas)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
optional: ¾ cup (100g) chopped pecans or walnuts
Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 220°C.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl.
In a mixer beat the butter and brown sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in the yogurt, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract until combined.
With the mixer running on low speed, slowly beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until no flour pockets remain. Do not overmix.
Fold in the nuts, if using.
Pour the batter into 24 lined or greased muffin pans
Bake for 5 minutes at 220°C then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C and bake for an additional 16-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cream Cheese Frosting: This banana bread also tastes fantastic with cream cheese frosting on top! To make it, beat 112g of softened cream cheese and ¼ cup (60g) of softened unsalted butter together on medium speed until smooth. Beat in 1 cup icing sugar, ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until combined.
Cover and store banana bread at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Banana bread tastes best on day 2 after the flavors have settled together.
4 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1¼ cups caster sugar
1 cup ground hazelnuts
1 teaspoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
185g dark chocolate
¼ cup water
1 cup cream
1 punnet strawberries
1½ cups cream extra
Grease two 20cm springform pans and line base and sides with baking paper. Grease the paper and sprinkle with cornflour, shaking away excess.
Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced.
Using electric beaters, beat egg whites with salt until soft peaks form.
Gradually add sugar, beating after each addition until sugar is dissolved and mixture is of meringue consistency.
Beat in vinegar and vanilla.
Divide meringue mixture evenly between pans.
Sprinkle ground hazelnuts evenly over meringue in both tins. With knife or small spatula swirl hazelnuts lightly through meringue. Smooth over top of meringue with back of spoon.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until meringue is crisp to touch.
Release sides of pans and cool meringues on base of pan.
Chop chocolate and combine with water on top of double saucepan. Stir over simmering water until melted. Cool.
Remove meringue from bases. Place one layer on a plate, flat side down. Spread with thin layer of chocolate. Spread whipped cream over chocolate. Reserve 4 strawberries. Wash and hull remainder cut in half and arrange over cream.
Spread underside of second layer of meringue with remaining chocolate mixture, place on top of strawberry layer, chocolate side down.
Whip extra cream, cover sides and top of cake. Arrange reserved strawberries on top.
Refrigerate until ready to use.