Banana Walnut Cake

The Sugar-Free ‘at-the stroke-of-midnight’  Cake (Serves a houseful of 4 adults and 2 kids):

• Refined flour-3/4 cup
• Ripe bananas,mashed-2 medium
• Walnut kernels,chopped1/4 cup
• Baking powder 2 teaspoons
• Salt a pinch
• Cocoa powder-3 table spoons
• Cinnamon powder 1/4 teaspoon
• Nutmeg powder 1/8 teaspoon
• Cooking butter 200 grams
• Sugar Free– 1/2 cup(R is diabetic! Please use 1 cup of sugar,if you choose)
• Vanilla essence- 1 teaspoon
• Eggs,whisked 2 (yolks and whites separated)
• Milk 2 tablespoons

1.   Preheat oven to 180° C. Grease and line the cake-baking tin. Sieve refined flour, baking powder, cocoa powder,salt, cinnamon powder and nutmeg powder.
2. Cream butter and Sugarfree together in a bowl till it is light and fluffy. Add the yolks one at a time. Add mashed bananas, vanilla essence and mix.  Beat eggs whites with a hand blender till light and fluffy. Add one third of the flour mixture to the banana mixture. Add one third of the beaten eggs and mix with a light hand. Again add one third of the flour and one third of the eggs and mix.
3. Add the remaining flour, walnuts and the remaining eggs and mix. Add milk to correct the consistency of the batter. (Before pouring the mixture, dust the buttered baking tin with cocoa powder-dont miss the sides. The slightly burnt bitter taste of cocoa when the cake turns in, tastes yummy!)
4. Transfer the batter into the prepared tin and place it in the preheated oven. Bake at 180° C for about thirty minutes. Check if it is done by inserting a skewer. If it comes out clean it is done. If not, keep the tin back in the oven and bake for another five to ten minutes.
5. Cool before slicing. You can serve this cake hot or cold. Serve with chocolate shavings and figs for that pretty and special effect, ideal for a birthday boy!

Well, that was the sweet start to Foraying into 4-Oh. Read on!

PS: Thanks Mayura Mohan, for this wonderful recipe!