Caribbean Banana Rum Cake
As far as places to be stranded go, I think Barbados has to be one of the best. We were due to fly back to England last weekend, but Iceland’s volcano interrupted that plan. So here we are, for a few more precious, unexpected days. What to do? I am cooking, and taking photographs – with the pure delight in the vibrant colours and vivid flavours, and the inspiration that this beautiful island provides.
We had lots of bananas getting riper, plenty of gorgeous amber Barbados sugar, and rum. Of course rum. Musing on these ingredients at sunset, I decided to get up early next morning – before the heat of the day – to bake some Banana Cake. So the sun and I got up together and I set about making our breakfast.
Here is my recipe – Banana Rum Cake. It is roughly measured as I don’t have exact equipment here, but the recipe is very forgiving.
1 block of butter, 250g
1 and half cups of sugar
5 small eggs
a quarter cup of dark rum
one tablespoon of vanilla extract
4-7 bananas, depending on their size (I used 7 quite small ones)
4 cups of self raising flour
Heat oven to 180 degrees centigrade. Lightly butter and dust with flour three loaf tins. Cream together the sugar and butter, by hand or with a mixer. Add the eggs, rum and vanilla and beat well for a few minutes. Add the bananas, roughly mashed, and mix well together. Gently stir in the flour. Divide into three loaf tins. Bake for 50-60 minutes.
