Banana & hazelnut cake

Prep 20 mins | Cook 1 hr 10 mins | Serves 8

melted butter, for greasing
100g hazelnuts
125g butter, softened
³⁄₄ cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs, at room temperature
3 large very ripe bananas, mashed
(about 1³⁄₄ cups mashed banana)
¹⁄₂ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¹⁄₄ cup reduced fat milk
1³⁄₄ cups self-raising flour, sifted

Cream cheese frosting:
250g reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
³⁄₄ cup icing sugar mixture, sifted

Step 1 Preheat oven 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 20cm cake pan with melted butter and line base and sides with baking paper. Place hazelnuts onto a baking tray. Roast for 10 minutes. Place hazelnuts in a clean tea towel and rub to remove skin. Set aside.

Step 2 Using electric beaters, cream butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Step 3 Using a large metal spoon, fold in mashed bananas. Combine bicarbonate of soda and milk. Finely chop half the hazelnuts. Fold chopped hazelnuts, sifted flour and milk mixture into cake mixture. Stir until just combined. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes until cooked when tested with a skewer. Stand for 10 minutes in pan before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 4 To make frosting, using electric beaters, beat cream cheese, lemon rind and icing sugar in a bowl until light and creamy. Spread over cooled cake. Roughly chop remaining hazelnuts and sprinkle over cake. Slice and serve.

Good for you ... Bananas

A good source of vitamins B6 and folate. Vitamin B6 is needed for the body's nervous system and folate is important for making red blood cells. A source of antioxidant vitamins E and C (vitamin C also helps protect us against infection). A good source of dietary fibre and also provides potassium.