Wednesday 6 July 2011

WOYWW 109 + Banana and Coconut Tea Loaf Recipe for Jules

Good morning all,

Just a wee bit drizzly here in Ayr today - I hope the sun is shining wherever you are. Before I reveal this week's 'mess on the desk', here's a grovelling apology to all you lovely people. I started out well enough last Wednesday, got down the first row of links -  see Julia, Head Desk Monitor, at Stamping Ground for this week's trip round the work desks of the world -  and then life got in the way - you know, major toothache, visit to dentist, trip to garden centre, trip to Glasgow, etc., etc. -  and the craft room has been seriously neglected too. However, this week should be better, though there is another trip to the dentist scheduled for tomorrow :(

Grovelling over, back to the desk - here it is in all it's glory.


Actually, it doesn't look so bad in the photograph. Two attempts at Barbara Grey's 'Out of Africa' scene, finished late last night, together with the stamps, gilding flakes, mica powders, ink pad that go into the making of them - they need to be put away. To the right is the Penny Black stamp I would take to a desert island - Aspire, just love it - and a wee pile of stampboard. Not sure what I'm going to do with it, but I've had it ages so time to give it a try out. Centre stage is the makings of a scrap page I've started putting together - from this photo I see I still need letters for the title, a journalling something and maybe a stamp and some ink pads.


Last week banana cake got mentioned and I remembered that I had this recipe for Banana and Coconut Tea Loaf tucked away in an old notebook. My late mother, who was an incredibly good baker, had a home bakery shop in Edinburgh when I was a child. I inherited many of her recipes and this old jotter is full of them. Unfortunately, amongst my many ailments, I have impaired glucose tolerance, a pre-diabetic condition, and have to keep to a low sugar/low carbohydrate eating regime which means I don't bake cakes, biscuits, etc., anymore :( Since diagnosis I have lost 2 stone so the diet is paying off :) However, it does seem a shame to keep Mum's recipes hidden and forgotten so here for Jules, who thought it sounded tasty, and anyone else who's interested here is the recipe.

Banana & Coconut Tea Bread
Ingredients: 
(sorry, all Mum's  measurements are in the old imperial)
6 oz soft margarine
6 oz caster sugar
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp lemon juice
2 eggs, size 3, beaten
6 oz self-raising brown farmhouse flour
2 oz dessicated coconut

2 lb loaf tin, base lined and greased, or 7” square cake tin

Method:
Set the oven to moderate, Gas Mark 4, or 350°F/180°C

Beat the margarine, sugar, bananas and lemon juice together then add the eggs and continue beating to form a batter. Then fold in the flour and coconut until the mix is smooth. Pour the mixture into the tin. The mixture will not be wet.

Bake towards the top of the oven for 1 hour 10 mins (this rather depends on your oven, for example, baking will be faster in a fan-assisted oven). 

If you use a loaf tin, the cake will usually crack down the centre.

Leave to cool in the tin, then serve sliced and buttered – will keep 3-4 days. It is also nice sliced and served as a dessert with custard, cream or ice cream.

If you want a lower sugar version, substitute 25 percent of the sugar with a powdered sweetener  - as you can see this worked perfectly well yesterday when I baked the loaf.

I'd be happy to post more of my Mum's recipes over time if  you would like them - just let me know.

Now, I must get on and clear stuff of my desk before I can make any headway of my scrap layout. I'll be back later to nosy around your desks but in the meantime have a wonderful week everyone and happy crafting.

26 comments:

shazsilverwolf said...

So much Bread & cake this morning!lol.My Beloved Husband would love this one, I'm sure. Oh well, add it to my list of things to do! Happy WOYWW,Shaz #63

CraftygasheadZo said...

Yummy! Thanks for sharing this with us, I might just have to have a go at baking this. Love your desk pics on a Wednesday too. Zo x

Neil said...

Hi there, lovely looking desk, and thanks for the recipe, I have one very similar from my mom-in-law, just without the coconut. Must give that a try.
Thanks for sharing.

jude said...

That banana loaf sounds delish ummm may just have to try.Hopefully you will get chance to have some crafting this next week,as you sound as though been busy bee like me at the dentist!Hope all is well soon
hugs judex15

Andria said...

Lovely desk...those photos look so serene and beautiful. Happy WOYWW!

Di said...

Oh yummy! I make it without coconut but am going to give this a whirl! Hope the dental things are sorted soon and you get back into crafting mode! Di xx

donnalouiserodgers said...

ooh gonna try the loaf without any sweetener at all I love none sweet tea breads..( scones yum)

thanks for the recipe,

desk is fab too!

dx

Angie said...

Everything looks very interesting on your desk ...love the 'out of Africa' piece ...and the cake looks yummy must give it a go ...do you have to use brown flour? I love ,what I call 'country cakes' ...something you slice thickly and enjoy with a mug of tea. yes please to more recipes xx

Neet said...

The Africa card looks lovely, love those colours for the sky. Great recipe to try as well.
Thanks for sharing - Hugs, Neet #4

Lunch Lady Jan said...

That's my sort of cake, YUM!! Your Africa- inspired work is really good, I like the colours very much. I notice the seaside bits and pieces ready to be used and feathers too, my favourite! Thank you again for visiting my blog and making a gal feel good :) xxxx

Carola Bartz said...

We should definitely include more recipe in WOYWW. Yummy!!! Thanks for sharing.

lisa said...

Your Africa project looks gorgeous, Elizabeth. Can we have a closer peek?
Sorry to hear about your dental problems, I know how you feel!!!!! Hope you get sorted soon.
The banana and coconut cake sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing the receipe.
hugs Lisax #106

Hettie said...

Another poorly toothy person! Poor you.
Your desk looks very interesting and love that stamp - going to have to look for that one!
I have cut and paste that recipe - I seem to be baking a cake for Hubby and I every friday now and so far they have all passed the Hubby and Dobby test!! I will try them on this one this week! I am sure you Mum would love to know you are sharing her talent!!

Michellee said...

Very inspirational desk.. And the recipe sounds YUMMY!! I enjoyed browsing around your blog. Thanks for sharing..

Sarah said...

Great things on the go here... and some nice stamps on view. I cook in imperial too - tastes better! Thank you so much for the visit, kind words and displaying my button. Hope to see you later in the month? Stay inspired...!
Thanks for sharing, enjoy the desk hopping!

Sarah

HeARTworks said...

I love banana bread and have tried several varieties but have never heard of one with coconut! Yum! Patsy from
HeARTworks

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi there Elizabeth that recipe sounds nice.. and yes so agree about the Asoire stamp it is beacuse of ShazSilverwolf that I have it you know... thanks for sharing and would love some more recipes already emailed this to family thanks for sharing, love Shaz in Oz.x

Twiglet said...

Will definitely try the banana bread and - yes please - do share your mum's recipes - that would be lovely. x Jo

akilli melek said...

hoping our weather gets better than this rain. Dont tempt us with cake...its almost worse than being tempted with new stash! lol!
caroline

okienurse said...

Love your project! the colors are awesome. Thanks for sharing the recipe with us. I have a similar one without the coconut but think I need to try this one. Vickie #44

Å olanje na domu-Waldorf said...

Yummy! The recipe sounds delicious and it looks good too. :) Good luck to you on your project.

Carrie said...

Hi Elizabeth, Thanks so much for popping by my blog and for your lovely comment. I like the look of this recipe.....yum yum!!! Definitely going to be baking soon now.
Hugs
Carrie
xxx

Spyder said...

fab desk as always and that recipe is making me hungry!! Will have to try that one! Happy Late WOYWW
((Lyn)) #29

Mandy said...

Hi Elizabeth,
Hope all is well with you now no more pain....I have taken the recipe,it sounds delicious can't wait to try it..Have a good week...
Mandy x

Morti said...

Funnily enough, my OH made three banana loaves at the weekend - must have been sopmething to do with the hundredweight of dying bananas he brought home from school on Friday! Lovely stash on your desk - I love Claritystamps too...

Sue from Oregon said...

Oh I love food on WOYWW! On a wee diet myself so I will enjoy the picture! LOL Happy Late WOYWW!