Banana, Raspberry and Coconut Loaf

Grandma's beautiful orchids

Isn’t it amazing how much kids love their Grandparents.  My daughter Summer was so excited this morning because Grandma and Grandpa were coming to visit. She even sat at the front window gazing out waiting for them saying repeatedly “I just want Grandma and Grandpa to be here...”  When I asked her what sort of cake I should make for them she suggested a raspberry cake.  I was thinking a banana loaf so guess what we came up with?


Banana, raspberry and coconut loaf with Grandma's orchids

A delicious and delicate tasting wholesome treat.  Bananas keep the loaf moist and healthy, the raspberries add a wonderful burst of flavour (and Summer’s favourite colour), and the coconut adds natural sweetness and even more taste.  Using part wholemeal flour adds extra fibre and nutrition without affecting the texture.  The addition of walnuts adds Omega 3 essential fatty acids which are great for healthy brains (which they even look like!).   And while raw sugar can be used, rapadura sugar is unrefined and retains many vitamins and minerals because the molasses is not separated from the sugar cane juice it is extracted from.  Check out this great document I came across about rapadura on the Quirky Cooking website.

Banana, Raspberry and Coconut Loaf

60g walnuts
2 ripe bananas (mine were approx 180g)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
80g grapeseed oil
130g milk
80g rapadura sugar
100g SR flour
100g wholemeal SR flour
30g coconut
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup raspberries (I used frozen but fresh is great if in season)

• Place walnuts in Thermomix bowl and grind for 5 seconds speed 7
• Add bananas, vanilla, eggs, milk, and oil and mix for 10 seconds speed 6
• Add flours, sugar, coconut and cinnamon and mix for 10 seconds speed 4
• Add most of the raspberries and mix on Reverse for 5 seconds speed 1
• Pour into lined loaf pan and sprinkle with remaining raspberries
• Bake at 180° for 45-50 minutes or until inserted skewer comes out clean

Enjoy!

Orange, Carrot and Date Loaf

Well it’s the first day of spring and we’ve had an amazing day out in the garden.  I tackled the winter weeds especially from the veggie garden.  I then started preparing the soil for new veggie planting now that the masses of wild rocket and rhubarb are coming to an end.  The kids had a great day too and while Summer would plant a new flower in her fairy garden, little Finn would come along and pull them out.  And veggie daddy is on his latest venture.... planning a rather large skateboard ramp in the backyard... stay tuned for that one...

Orange, Carrot and Date Loaf
 

The kids are going crazy about oranges at the moment.  Even veggie daddy who says he wasn’t a fan of oranges on the sporting field as a kid is devouring them.  So I’m buying them by the bag full and enjoying them any way possible.  I also have a large box of fresh dates I bought in bulk.

Orange zest and carrots in the Thermomix

I found this recipe on another great blog called Surprisingly Domestic and tweaked it a little further.  I mainly reduced the sugar as I found the dates add plenty of sweetness and I wanted to let my one year old enjoy it. It’s quite a healthy loaf and the carrots and dates add plenty of flavour and fibre.  It tastes just like spring time and while it’s devine still warm from the oven (we had it for afternoon tea in the garden), it’s also great served with a little yoghurt the next day.

 
Orange, Carrot and Date Loaf

1 orange
100g dates
280g carrots
3 eggs
60g grapeseed oil
130g yoghurt
100g wholemeal flour
200g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
80g raw sugar
1 tsp cinnamon 

• Preheat oven to 180°
• Line a loaf tin with baking paper
• Remove peel from orange, place in Thermomix and zest 10 seconds speed 9
• Add carrots and grate 5 seconds speed 5 then set aside
• Chop dates 5 seconds speed 5 then set aside
• Remove pith from orange and quarter, place in Thermomix and juice 20 seconds speed 8
• Add eggs and mix 5 seconds speed 5
• Add dry ingredients and mix 20 seconds speed 4
• Add orange zest, carrots and dates and mix 20 seconds speed 4 on Reverse 
• Pour into loaf tin and bake 180° for 50 minutes
• Cool 10 minutes in tin before turning out
• This is a very moist cake so skewer may not come out completely dry

Best served warm or later with yoghurt

Enjoy!