Secret Recipe Banana maple syrup bread

Method Banana maple syrup bread

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease two 5cm-deep, 6.5cm x 12.5cm (base) loaf pans.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and maple syrup in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition until just combined.
3. Transfer butter mixture to a large bowl. Add banana. Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Sift flours and bicarbonate of soda over butter mixture. Stir until just combined.
4. Spoon mixture into prepared pans. Smooth top. Bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre of loaves comes out clean. Stand in pans for 5 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or toasted with spread.

Secret Recipe :

Ingredients

• 125g butter, softened
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 3 large bananas, mashed (see note)
• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 3/4 cup self-raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• Reduced-fat spread, to serve

Notes

To freeze: Wrap each cooled loaf in plastic wrap, then foil. Alternatively, cut each loaf into eight 1.5cm-thick slices. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
To thaw: Thaw in fridge overnight. You'll need 1 cup mashed banana.
 

Secret Recipe Banana fritters with caramel sauce

Method Banana fritters with caramel sauce

• Whisk the buttermilk and cinnamon together until combined. Combine the breadcrumbs and coconut in a separate shallow bowl.

• Dip a banana into the buttermilk to coat well, then roll in the breadcrumb mixture to coat well. Transfer to a plate or tray. Repeat with remaining bananas. Refrigerate until required.

• Stir the sugar and 1/3 cup (80ml) water in a saucepan over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 8 minutes or until golden. Reduce the heat to low and carefully whisk in the cream until combined.

• Heat the vegetable oil in a 22cm frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the bananas, turning, for 2-3 minutes until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel. Reheat the caramel sauce if necessary. Serve the fritters with the ice cream squares and caramel sauce.

Secret Recipe :

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 3/4 cup (185ml) buttermilk
• Large pinch ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup (30g) multigrain breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup (30g) McKenzies desiccated coconut
• 4 ripe lady finger bananas, peeled
• 2/3 cup (160g) caster sugar
• 1/3 cup (80ml) cream
• 1 cup (250ml) vegetable oil
• Vanilla ice cream squares, to serve

Secret Recipe Banana choc tarts

Method Banana choc tarts

• Place sour cream in a bowl with brown sugar and mix until the sugar has dissolved and is fully combined.

• Finely grate chocolate.

• Spoon the sour cream mixture into pastry cases and top with sliced banana.

• To serve, sprinkle tarts with grated chocolate and drizzle with a little maple syrup if desired

Secret Recipe :

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• dark, milk or white chocolate
• 8 small precooked store bought pastry cases
• sliced banana
• maple syrup, to serve

Secret Recipe Banana cake with passionfruit icing

Method Banana cake with passionfruit icing

• Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush an 11 x 21cm (base measurement) loaf pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and 2 opposite long sides with non-stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang slightly.

• Use an electric beater to beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until just combined.

• Stir in half the combined flours, and half the cinnamon and ginger until just combined. Stir in buttermilk, remaining combined flours, cinnamon and ginger, and banana until combined. Spoon into prepared pan and smooth the surface.

• Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven. Set aside in the pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack for 30 minutes or until cooled completely.

• Meanwhile, to make the passionfruit icing, heat a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the coconut and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until toasted. Remove from heat. Use an electric beater to beat together the cream cheese, icing sugar and passionfruit pulp in a large bowl until pale and creamy.

• Place the cake on a serving platter. Use a round-bladed knife to spread the icing over the cake. Sprinkle with coconut and cut into slices to serve.

Secret Recipe :

Ingredients (serves 8)

• Melted butter, to grease
• 125g butter, softened
• 155g (3/4 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 300g (2 cups) self-raising flour
• 50g (1/3 cup) plain flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 160ml (2/3 cup) buttermilk
• 2 large overripe bananas, mashed

• Passionfruit icing

• 25g (1/3 cup) shredded coconut
• 125g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 80g (1/2 cup) icing sugar mixture
• 2 tbs unstrained passionfruit pulp

Notes

This cake will keep in an airtight container out of direct sunlight for up to 3 days. You'll need 2 passionfruit for this recipe.
 

Secret Recipe Banana cake with orange maple sauce

Method Banana cake with orange maple sauce

• Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a deep 22cm (top measurement) fluted ring pan with melted butter.

• Use an electric beater to beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl for 5 minutes or until pale and creamy.

• Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add banana. Use a large metal spoon to fold in half the flour and half the bicarbonate of soda. Fold in half the milk. Repeat with remaining flour, bicarbonate of soda and milk. Stir until just smooth.

• Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes to cool. Turn onto a wire rack over a baking tray and set aside to cool.

• Meanwhile, to make the orange maple sauce, stir the butter, maple syrup and orange juice in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.

• Pour the sauce over the cake. Serve with cream.

Secret Recipe :

Ingredients (serves 6)

• Melted butter, to grease
• 125g butter, at room temperature, chopped
• 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 eggs
• 350g mashed banana
• 265g (1 3/4 cups) self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 80ml (1/3 cup) milk
• Double cream, to serve

• Orange maple sauce

• 50g butter
• 125ml (1/2 cup) maple syrup
• 2 tbs fresh orange juice

Notes

Cook's tip: You'll need about 3 bananas for this recipe.
Make it ahead: You can make this cake up to 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container.
 

Secret Recipe Sour cream banana cake

Method Sour cream banana cake 

• Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease base and sides of a 7cm deep, 19cm square cake pan and line with baking paper.

• Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Using a metal spoon, gently fold in sour cream and bananas. Sift flour and bicarbonate of soda over batter and gently fold through.

• Spoon batter into cake pan. Smooth surface. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

• Make icing Place chocolate and sour cream in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, stirring constantly with a metal spoon, for 3 minutes or until smooth. Remove from heat. Stand for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour icing over cake, allowing it to drizzle down sides. Serve warm.

Secret Recipe :

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 125g butter, softened
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mashed banana (you will need 2 large, very ripe bananas)
• 2 1/4 cups self-raising flour
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

• Icing

• 180g white chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Notes

Sour cream banana cake (without the icing) can be made a day in advance. Store at room temperature in an airtight container. To warm, place un-iced cake on a microwave-safe plate lined with baking paper. Heat, uncovered, on MEDIUM-LOW DEFROST (30%) for 4 to 6 minutes or until warm to the touch. Ice while warm.
 

Secret Recipe Banana fritters

Method Banana fritters

• Sift flour and cinnamon together into a large bowl. Stir in sugar. Make a well in the centre. Add egg and soda water. Whisk until a smooth batter forms. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

• Preheat oven to 180°C. Place a wire rack over a baking tray. Pour oil into a large, non-stick frying pan until 5mm deep. Heat over medium heat until hot. Dip 1 piece of banana at a time into batter and allow excess batter to drain. Cook, in batches, for 1 to 2 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Remove to a wire rack. Keep warm in oven while cooking remaining fritters.

• Pour caramel topping into a heatproof microwave-safe jug. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH (100%) for 1 minute or until warm.

• Divide fritters between plates. Drizzle with caramel sauce. Serve with ice-cream.

Secret Recipe :

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup chilled soda water
• vegetable oil, for shallow frying
• 4 large bananas, peeled, cut diagonally into 6 slices
• 1/3 cup caramel topping
• vanilla ice-cream, to serve

Secret Recipe Banana muffins

Method Banana muffins

• Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan forced). Line 12 x 1/2 cup muffin tins with paper cases.

• Place packet cake mix (reserve cinnamon sachet), eggs, butter and milk into the large bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on low speed until ingredients are moistened, then beat on medium for 2 minutes.

• Stir in banana and sultanas until well combined. Divide mixture evenly between muffin pans, only filling to three-quarters full. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden and cooked when tested.

• While still warm, brush tops of muffins with melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon topping sachet.

Secret Recipe :

Ingredients

• 1 x 400g packet Traditional English Tea Cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 80g softened butter, chopped
• 1/3 cup (80ml) milk
• 3/4 cup mashed banana (about 2 medium ripe bananas)
• 1/4 cup sultanas
• 1 tbs melted butter

Notes

You'll get better results if you centre the cake tin in the oven. To do this, position the oven rack in the lower part of the oven, so that when you put the cake in the top of the cake is in the middle.
 

Secret Recipe Wholemeal banana pancakes

Method Wholemeal banana pancakes

• Mash 1 banana in a bowl (see note). Place flour in a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Combine buttermilk, eggs, honey and mashed banana in a jug. Pour into well. Whisk until smooth. Stand for 10 minutes.

• Spray a large, non-stick frying pan with oil. Heat over medium heat. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface. Turn. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter to make 12 pancakes.

• Thinly slice remaining banana. Place pancakes on plates. Top with sliced banana, honey and yoghurt. Serve.

Secret Recipe :

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 large bananas
• 1 1/2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Olive oil cooking spray
• Honey and reduced-fat passionfruit yoghurt, to serve

Notes

You'll need 1/2 cup mashed banana.
 

Secret Recipe Banana and cinnamon French toast

Method Banana and cinnamon French toast

• Combine eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, icing sugar and cinnamon in a large jug. Whisk with a fork until well combined. Pour mixture into a shallow ceramic dish.

• Preheat oven to 180°C. Dip 2 brioche slices in milk mixture for 30 seconds to 1 minute each side or until well soaked. Hold over dish to drain. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large frying pan over medium heat until bubbling. Add soaked brioche. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to a baking tray. Keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining butter and brioche.

• Place French toast on plates. Top with banana. Drizzle with maple syrup. Serve.

Secret Recipe :

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 tablespoon icing sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 x 2.5cm-thick slices day-old brioche (see note)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 bananas, sliced lengthways
• pure maple syrup, to serve

Notes

• Variation: You can use fruit bread or split hot cross buns instead of brioche. And, instead of banana, try topping brioche with raspberries, blueberries or sliced strawberries.
• Brioche: Brioche, a cross between a bread and a pastry, is made from a classic sweet French yeast dough. Its golden surface comes from the addition of sugar. Brioche gets its richness from butter and eggs. Look for it in the bakery section of your supermarke