Banana Cake

• Banana is one of the high calorie, tropical fruits. 100 grams of fruit carry 90 calories. Besides, it contains good amount of health benefiting anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins.
• Banana fruit is composed of soft, easily digestible flesh made up of simple sugars like fructose and sucrose that upon consumption instantly replenishes energy and revitalizes the body. Thus, for these qualities, bananas are being used by athletes to get instant energy and as supplement food in the treatment plan for underweight children.
• The fruit holds a good amount of soluble dietary fiber (7% of DRA per 100 g) that helps normal bowel movements; thereby reducing constipation problems.
• It contains health promoting flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, zea-xanthin, ß and a-carotenes, albeit, in small amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.
• Banana is good source of vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine); provides about 28% of daily-recommended allowance. Pyridoxine is an important B-complex vitamin that has beneficial role for the treatment of neuritis, and anemia. Further, it helps decrease homocysteine (one of the triggering factor in coronary artery disease (CHD) and stroke episodes) levels within the human body.
• The fruit is also a moderate source of vitamin-C (about 8.7 mg per 100g). Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.
• Fresh bananas provide adequate levels of minerals like copper, magnesium, and manganese. Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening and has a cardiac-protective role as well. Manganese is utilized as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells.
• Fresh banana is a very rich source of potassium. 100 g fruit provides 358 mg potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure, countering bad effects of sodium. www.nutrition-and-you.com

Ingredients:

3/4 cup white granulated sugar

1/2 brown sugar

1/2 cup corn oil

3 whole eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup buttermilk or milk

1 cup mashed banana

1 tablespoon orange zest

Cream cheese frosting:

1 cup cream cheese

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups confectioners sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees centigrade or 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease 8 x 2 inches round pan or  8 x 8 x 1 1/2 inches square pan.
3. Sift flour twice, add in salt, baking powder and baking soda then set aside.
4. In the electric mixer, cream corn oil, sugar, and eggs until frothy.
5. Mash the bananas then add to the creamed ingredients plus milk.
6. On low speed add dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
7. Do not over mix so the dough is soft and tender but not tight and tough.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick is dry when inserted.
9. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto the cooling rack to cool completely.
10. Whip the frosting if desired then frost the cooled cake, decorate with nuts if desired and enjoy.