Banana cake is the modern PNG dessert tradition, reflecting British/Australian cake-baking introduced via colonization. The use of overripe bananas captures the abundant fruit.
Cut a thick slice of warm banana cake — moist amber-brown crumb, golden top, flecks of coconut visible. Bite: intensely banana-flavored from overripe fruit, the butter and sugar binding everything in a moist crumb, the coconut adding tropical chew. With a cup of black tea or coffee, this is the PNG family-gathering closer.
Very ripe bananas have higher sugar content, intensifying flavor and moisture. Creaming butter-and-sugar incorporates air for tender crumb. Don't overmix once flour is added — develops gluten.
Variations
With added walnuts. With chocolate chips. With added pineapple. With turmeric. Glazed with caramel. Loaf vs round shape.
On the Palate
Where PNG Banana Cake sits in the Papua New Guinean flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 8
How it's made
11 steps · 20 min active + 50 min waiting
- 13 min
Preheat oven to 175°C. Butter a 23-cm loaf tin.
- 24 min
Mash 4 very ripe bananas.
- 35 min
Cream 125 g butter with 200 g sugar until light and fluffy.
Watch outBeat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy — this is the air that makes the crumb tender, so don't rush it.
- 44 min
Beat in 2 eggs, one at a time.
- 52 min
Stir in mashed banana and 1 tsp vanilla.
- 63 min
Sift in 300 g flour + 2 tsp baking powder + 1/4 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Fold in.
Watch outOnce the flour goes in, fold just until it disappears — keep stirring and the cake bakes tough and rubbery.
- 71 min
Add 60 g grated coconut; fold in.
- 82 min
Pour into prepared tin; smooth top.
- 947 min
Bake 45-50 min until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Watch outTest with a skewer in the center — it should come out clean with no wet batter clinging.
- 1016 min
Cool 15 min in tin; turn out onto rack.
- 111 min
Serve warm or at room temperature.
