Banana Mango Cake

I am going to be trite here and say something you have heard a million times recently:

I can't believe it's almost Christmas! And I can't believe another year has gone by!

What an eventful revolution around the sun it has been - so many changes, laughter, tears, joy, personal growth (which I wish there were more of!) and blessings. Another year of God's faithfulness.

What have I been up to apart from humming Disney songs (thanks to all those people who changed their facebook profile to Disney characters!) and eating buttered corns?

Well, I've signed up for this website which requires me to fill in my personal information like what I do in my spare time and what my daily routine is like. I wrote about which type of people I am compatible and can get along with. Things I can't stand in a person. You get the picture. I am trying to be 'matched' and connected with the people in this city.

I mean to me, this seems like the last resort. Especially if you are a bit desperate and just can't find 'the one'?  So, today I met up with a potential 'match' after work. I went over to the that person's place actually. 

Whoa, you're thinking...aren't you moving a little bit too fast Viv?!

Friends, I don't know what you're thinking, but I am looking for a flatmate/roommate of course! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lead you on. To think that this is some juicy post. But I just couldn't stop chuckling to myself when I was filling out the flatmate finder form. This is just a bit funny to me.

But yes, I am moving. Again. It's hard. It's tiring. It's oh-very-exciting. The house I saw tonight wasn't the one unfortunately. It was nice and warm. But it needs to work on its hygiene a little bit to be considered a contender. 

Let's hope the next few ones I see will be good! I'm dreaming about a light filled kitchen with some mango trees in the backyard.

Just because, I love mangoes. 

When life don't give you enough bananas, you can just use mangoes. Truly.

I was having a dilemma when I was making my usual banana cake weeks ago, only to find at the last minute that one banana was missing!  Calm down. Quick, think of your feet! What do I have. Mangoes! Now, where have I heard about mango bread before? Thanks Deb! I remember she said that mango bread is the Hawaiian's answer to our banana bread!

I used my usual banana bread recipe and just substituted a banana for 1 small mango. I also added in some nutmeg and cinnamon.

The verdict? This is like eating the most fragrant piece of cake ever. When I took a bite, I was thinking, 'This tastes sooo pretty'. Weird I know. But the mango and nutmeg add much 'perfume' to this banana bread that I can just imagine having this with a cup tea with my future potential flatmates in our mango-tree filled backyard.

Banana Mango Cake
Inspired by How to be a Domestic Goddess

• 175g plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 50g unsalted butter, melted
• 50ml grapeseed oil (or similar neutral cooking oil)
• 1/4 cup yoghurt (I used greek yoghurt)
• 150g sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 small, very ripe bananas (about 300g weighed without skin), mashed
• 1 medium sized mango (Updated 8/12/2010: it's Mango not Banana - sorry for the typo!)
• (optional) a handful of chopped pecans (just because I found them in the pantry)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas mark 3 and get started on the rest.

2. Put the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt in a medium-sized bowl and, using your hands or a wooden spoon, combine well.

3. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, grapeseed oil, yoghurt and sugar and beat until blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the mashed bananas and mangoes (cut into small cubes)

4. Then, with your wooden spoon, stir in the pecans (optional) and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture, a third at a time, stirring well after each bit.

5. Scrape into the loaf tin and bake in the middle of the oven for 1-1 1/4 hours. When it's ready, an inserted toothpick or fine skewer should come out cleanish.

6. Leave in the tin on a rack to cool, and eat thickly or thinly sliced, as you prefer.