We’d probably also call it a pound cake if it was being made to the American recipe using pounds of ingredients. Otherwise it’s a sponge cake - the most well known being a Victoria Sandwich (sponge is cut in half horizontally and a layer of jam sandwiched between the two halves).
Your idea of banana jam reminds me I’m sure I’ve got a recipe somewhere for banana chutney - I’m more used to making chutney, rather than jam.
What is Mrs H’s banana bread recipe, may I ask? 
225g plain flour
3 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
0.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
100g butter
150g soft light brown sugar
2 eggs
3 bananas (defrosted if you froze them)
50g chopped walnuts
You need a 1kg loaf tin and the over pre-heated to 180.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Separately beat together the butter & sugar. Lightly beat the eggs and mix slowly into the butter/sugar mix. Mash the bananas and add to the mix. Gradualyl stir the flour mix into the butter/sugar mix. Fold in the chopped walnuts. Pour into tin and bake for an hour. Leave it in the tin for 10 minutes to firm up then cool on a rack.
If you try, please let me know how you find it, so I can let her know.
Dammit. Why didnt we think of that!!!
Thanks, I have all the ingredients except walnuts, so probably it will be next week. I have a cast iron and a glass mould in this form. I will probably use the metal mould and will see if it needs adjustment in oven time.
I ate a lot of banana bread when I was a kid and teen…
I remembered, I think. On the Great British Bake-Off a season or two back, there was a big to-do about the classic Madeira cake, which was apparently a pound cake named for the tipple that accompanies it, not an actual ingredient. The original American pound cake is a pound each of sugar, flour, eggs, and butter. Maybe some vanilla but no added leavening. Today’s versions are often varied in flavor, usually leavened, and less rich.
SK recipes are well written and reputable- i haven’t made this banana cake myself but it would take care of eight bananas (!) also makes a lot of cake but you could also just make a half recipe for two thinner cake rounds
Well, the first attempt - based on coll’s suggestion - has been OK.
Bought a ready baked shortcrust tart case from the supermarket. Spread the defrosted banana over the base. At this point, it does not look appealing - the bananas thaw to a beige gloop. And then covered it with banana flavour Angel Delight and stuck it in the fridge for an hour to firm up.
It was fine - if a little incongruous after a duck stirfry.
Still it will have been a better meal than Mrs H has experienced. About now, she and her sister will have just stepped off a plane at NYC.
Thawing in a fine mesh strainer or a coffee filter would help. The exuded juice can be cooked down to a syrupy glaze, like a tropical caramel.
Oh, the Mrs is very lucky, this year it’s great weather for the weekend here in nyc (in past years it has been painfully cold). Hope she enjoys her trip!
I did drain off the liquid through a sieve. Didnt think to boil it down - a definite try for next time.
I love banana pancake using gluten free flour.
The overripe bananas which when whipped makes the pancake lighter.
Next time try the fresh bananas, you’ll probably enjoy the bit of texture. I’m glad you made it though…today I was looking through my Dorie Greenspan book for Christmas ideas, and she has another recipe that is complicated like Martha’s. I would trust her above most!
Good point. Although we have a few recipes for perfect bananas. A favourite is what Mrs H calls “spluttered bananas”. You halve them lengthways and fry in butter, then sprinkle some lemon juice over which makes them, erm, splutter. Then there’s the version that omits the lemon but has booze thrown in and flamed (rum is good, brandy is better). Both versions are particularly good with a high quality vanilla ice cream (which, in this house, means Green & Black)
Booze sounds like a winner! We have a “homemade” ice cream place up the street, so that’s never a problem.
Is there any way to speed up ripening of bananas, want to make Harters’ bread, but the bananas aren’t ready yet. TIA.
Put them in a brown bag with an apple.
I’ve heard of ripening things by putting them in a bag with a banana but not the other way round.
I’ve heard apples, although usually for for ripening avocados. Probably more ways than one though, the paper bag seems to be key.
Banana ripening tips:
