Caramelised Banana and Coconut Cake

There are times when I pick up a magazine and no recipes appeal to me. The last issue of Donna Hay (Feb/March 2010) has quite a few that inspired me. Looking at the gorgeous mouth watering photo of Caramelised Banana and Coconut Cake, I couldn’t resist but to bake it for morning tea for work one day.

As I was looking at the ingredients, the thought of  “less is more” this is certainly “more and more” came to my mind. We are talking about caramel, banana, coconut and even passionfruit in one cake!  It all came together in the end though and I was greeted by happy smiles in the office as they bite into this luscious cake. All worth it.

Caramelised Banana and Coconut Cake 

20 grams butter
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup water
8 bananas halved
4 eggs
3/4 cup caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
150 grams butter melted (Extra)
1 cup desiccated coconut

passion fruit syrup
4 passionfruit, pulp removed
1/4 cup water 
2 tablespoon caster sugar

To make syrup, place pulp, water and sugar in small sauce plan. Stir till sugar dissolves. Bring to boil, cook for 2-3 mins till it thickens. Set aside

PLace butter, sugar and water in small sauce plan over low heat and stir till sugar has dissolved. Bring to boil and cook for 3-4 minutes. Pour into base of lightly greated and lined 22 cm square tin. Arrange the banana, but side down on top of caramel.

Preheat oven 160C. Place sugar, eggs and vanilla in electric mixer and beat for 8-10 mins till pale and fluffy. Sift flour and baking powder over the egg mixture and fold through. Add the extra butter and coconut and fold through. Pour mixture over banana and bake for 45-50 mins till cooked through when tested with skewer. Allow to cool slightly. Turn cake out onto a platter and spoon over the passion fruit syrup to serve.