This Banana Bread makes such a perfect Valentine’s Day treat. This year Valentine’s Day falls on a Monday. What a great treat for morning tea at work, don’t forget to take some butter for added indulgence. Or an after-school snack for hungry kids. Or maybe pack a slice into a lunch box to make someone smile. One thing’s for sure – it will delight, no matter how you serve it.
Just a few quick tips:
Colouring
If you can access gel food colouring, do it, I don’t know how I didn’t discover this sooner. The colour bakes evenly through the cake and is far more vivid than the cheaper supermarket food colouring. The extra brightness gives you a lovely contrast and really makes your heart pop. I used Chefmaster Liqua-gel, in neon brite pink which I picked up from my local cake making shop, Merryday for $4.99.
Constructing
Spread a very thin layer of batter over the bottom of your pan before adding your hearts. This layer will hold your hearts in place. Used sparingly on the base also ensures you have enough batter to cover the hearts entirely.
Keep your hearts as close together and as centred as possible. Very gently fill the sides of your pan with batter. Then coat the top of your hearts with remaining batter so hearts are completely covered. The greater and more even the coverage, the more distinct your heart will be.
Use Your Offcuts
You’ll end up with a lot of extra banana bread after cutting out the hearts. Rather than throwing out the offcuts, try making something like these sweet little Red Velvet Cheesecake Triffle cups (of the banana bread variety) or this super yummy Birthday Cake Truffle recipe.
Short Cut
If you’re a little time poor you can buy a ready-made pink (or any colour) cake from the supermarket and use this for the hearts.
Hidden Heart Banana Bread
Ingredients
- You will bake two cakes, so these ingredients need to be doubled (except the gel and oats)
- 1 1/4 cup self raising flour
- 1/2 cup castor sugar
- 50 grams butter, melted
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 ripe banana, well mashed
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- a few droplets of pink food colouring (preferably gel) Do this in the first cake only. Second batter should not contain colouring
- a handful of oats (optional)
Instructions
Cake One
- Preheat oven to 170 c and line loaf tin (21 cm x 11 cm) with baking paper
- Sift flour into mixing bowl. Add sugar, butter, milk, banana, egg, vanilla and a few droplets of pink food colouring. Hand mix until combined. Transfer batter into lined tin. Place in preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely on wire rack. Once cooled, slice and using heart cookie cutter, press out 8 small hearts. Cover and set aside.
Cake Two
- Preheat oven to 170 c and line loaf tin (21 cm x 11 cm) with baking paper
- Sift flour into mixing bowl. Add sugar, butter, milk, banana, egg and vanilla. Hand mix until combined. Spread a very thin layer of batter over the bottom of your pan. Add hearts, upright, to pan in a tight row. Cover hearts with remaining batter. Sprinkle top with oats and place in preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow to cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
