Banana streusel snack cake

I'm a BIG fan of most cook shows, celebrity chefs, cook books and food magazines. I love reading and collecting food recipes and try not to miss out any food articles from the Herald Sun newspapers. There is the taste section on every Tuesday, Jamie Oliver section on every Saturday, Guy Grossi section and the magazine insert featuring Donna Hay on every Sunday. 

Now that the Masterchef Australia is back with the junior version, I look forward to watch this program every Sunday evening... 

As I was reading a blog post from Technicolor Kitchen featuring a banana cake, the name "Jamie Oliver" in her post caught my attention instantly. Patricia (Technicolor Kitchen) said that this banana cake tasted good and I was keen to bake this cake too.

Here is the cake. Instead of making a square pan size, I've made them into 10 mini loaves. The soft crunch of the streusel gave the cake a sweet melting buttery taste. It has a balance amount of fat and sugar contents that made the texture just right. Being typical health-conscious, my husband think that the cake would be better if it is less sweeter. I agree with his suggestion and will reduced the sugar contents slightly if I would make this cake again.

Here's the recipe from Technicolor Kitchen.

Streusel:
6 tablespoons (60g) all purpose flour
6 tablespoons firmly packed (75g) light brown sugar
3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, softened
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cake:
1 1/3 cups (233g) cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (255g) mashed ripe bananas
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200g) demerara sugar (I use brown sugar instead)
1 large egg, lightly beaten with a fork

Make the streusel: in a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, butter and cinnamon with your fingertips until the mixture is lumpy; refrigerate.

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 180°C. Butter a 20cm square pan then flour the pan, tapping out excess flour. Have all the ingredients in room temperature.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a small bowl and set aside. Put the mashed bananas in a medium bowl and stir in the milk and vanilla; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat together the butter and sugar on medium-low speed until fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until completely incorporated. Add the banana mixture and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer to its lowest speed and gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until incorporated. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula.

Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the batter.

Bake the cake until it springs back when gently pressed in the center and a round wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan completely before cutting and serving.

Happy Baking