Have Yourself a Yummy Little Streusel Cake

I've seen enough Christmas specials and heard Christmas songs to get that streusel cakes are must-eats for the holidays because of its characteristic festive spice: cinnamon and nutmeg. Thanksgiving also feature these spices in pies and I think the reason why it's so well-loved during the cold seasons is because of the warm and cozy feeling that their aroma bring into any kitchen. 

I've seen Nigella's Christmas Kitchen last night and felt inspired to post something to get into the Christmas spirit. Apple Streusel's a common Christmas cake. But I love bananas, so I went with it :)

Banana Streusel Tea Cake

To be consistent with the photo, I used a loaf tin in the recipe. But, if you'd like to give your streusel cake a festive flair, use a bundt mold or a muffin pan and put in a muffin cups printed with a Christmas-y design.

Ingredients 

1 1/2 cup self-raising flour* or cake flour*, sifted

2/3 cup caster sugar

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg, lightly beaten

4 tbsp butter

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp flour

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tbsp cashews (or almonds or walnuts), coarsely chopped

2 tbsp oat meal 

1 tbsp butter

cheaper alternative to nuts:

2 tbsp unsweetened cornflakes

2 tbsp unsweetened bran flakes

*If you're adding cereals instead of nuts, add 1 1/2 tbsp of brown sugar to the streusel mix

Personally, I prefer cereals more because of the added texture and crunch to the streusel cake :)

Directions 

To Make the Streusel

1. Mix together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, chopped cashews and oat meal.

2. Add the butter and stir everything together until the texture becomes crumbly.

3. Set aside in an airtight container or Tupperware, then refrigerate while making the cake batter.  

To Make the Banana Streusel Tea Cake

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease you chosen baking container

or loaf tin with butter or oil. Coat base and sides with four, then shake off the excess.

2. Whisk the butter and sugar in a bowl until the texture is light and creamy.

3. Add the mashed bananas and beat until combined. 

4. Gradually add the egg while beating thoroughly after each addition.

Add the vanilla then beat again until combined.

5. Alternate adding the sifted flour and milk into the batter. Use a metal spoon for this stage. Stir until the mixture is smooth.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the surface with a back of a spoon or a spatula.

7. Sprinkle the streusel mix generously over the cake batter.

8. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake.

9. Let the cake sit in the tin for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

NOTE/S:

If you're using an oven toaster with a constant temperature of around 200 degrees C:

a) Cover the top with aluminum foil to prevent the cake from burning easily.

b) To be on the safer side, line the base of the loaf tin with grease-proof paper.

c) Bake for 12-15 minutes. Rotate the tin clockwise and bake for 5-6 more minutes.

d) Poke the center of the cake with a fork or toothpick. If it doesn't come out clean, Bake for 1-2 more minutes without the foil cover.

Really lovely with orange pekoe tea o your favorite tea brand's Christmas blend :D

It's also a great gift to friends and family! I would make this for my aunt and relatives, but they requested for my doughnuts. I will post them some other time, I hope you look forward to it! :)

The recipe for the banana cake came from:

Periplus Mini Cookbooks. "Banana Bar." In Muffins, Scones & Teacakes, 42. Singapore: Periplus, 1991.