I have a couple favourite Banana Cake recipes including this one which uses buttermilk – now this is not an ingredient that I always have on hand. But when I see it next to the milks and creams at the supermarket, I grab a box.

Buttermilk can be used for both baking and cooking – from marinating chicken, to bread making, cakes, and deserts. Buttermilk has less fat in it than milk, and for those intolerant to milk, it is a good substitute.

I read on an Alt Medicine 101 that you can use buttermilk for sunburn, and dehydration amongst other ailments. (I have included the link so you can read for yourself the other benefits – some of which are of the more personal nature :))

Cake Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana’s (2-3 bananas)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 185g butter, softened
• 2  cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla paste
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Frosting
250g cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups icing sugar

Chopped walnuts

Prepare a 20cm cake tin by lining it with baking paper. Heat oven –  bake 180°c or fan bake 160°c.

In a large bowl, cream butter & sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla. Sift in the flour, baking soda and salt  alternately with the buttermilk.
Stir in the mashed banana and lemon juice into the cake mixture.

Pour can mix into your prepared cake tin and bake for 45-50 mins or fan bake 35-40 minutes or cake skewer inserted in center comes out clean.

Frosting: Mix the softened (room temperature) cream cheese with the vanilla paste, adding icing sugar until combined. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over top of the icing if you love walnuts like we do!

My other Banana Cake recipe uses yoghurt instead of milk and is very nice too – if you would like this recipe let me know.

Happy baking xx