Pili Pala Blog

We’re picky about our bananas.  We like them on the greener side of yellow.  When the black spots appear they tend to be the last thing left in the fruit bowl.

However, we’ve now found a solution which not only solves our banana problem (and doesn’t involve throwing them out!) and is a great activity for all involved.  So, grab your bananas and get to the kitchen to make our fantastic banana pili pala cakes!

Banana Butterfly Cakes – makes around 24

Ingredients

4 large over-ripe bananas, mashed

285g/10 oz wholemeal (or plain) flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

110g/4oz butter at room temperature

225g/8oz golden caster sugar

2 organic free range eggs

85 ml/3fl oz of buttermilk (or normal milk mixed with 1 ½ tsp lemon juice)

1 tsp vanilla extract

100g/3 ½oz dark chocolate broken up into small chips

For the chocolate butter icing

30 ml/2 tbsp cocoa powder

15 ml/1 tbsp boiling water

100 g/4 oz butter or margarine, softened

225 g/8 oz icing sugar, sifted

15 ml/1 tbsp milk

You will also need 24 paper cases and two, 12 hole tartlet trays (or use the same one twice). 

 Method

1. Aprons on?  Hands clean? Everybody happy?  Let's go!
2. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
3. In a clean bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs, mashed bananas, chocolate chips, buttermilk and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and mix well. 
5. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and fold in.
6. Place the paper cases in the 12 hole tartlet tray(s). Spoon out the mixture into the 24 paper cases.
7. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until well-risen and golden-brown.
8. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
9. Whilst the cakes are in the oven, or cooling, mix the cocoa to a paste with the boiling water, then leave to cool. Beat the butter or margarine until soft. Gradually beat in the icing sugar, milk and cocoa mixture until well blended.
10. To make the pili pala (butterfly) part of the cake, take a sharp knife and cut off the tops of the cakes. Spread a thin layer of the chocolate icing over each cake.  Cut the ‘top’ part of the cake in half and place on top of the cake to make a butterfly as shown in the photo.
11. Put your feet up and enjoy a cake with a cup of tea, glass of milk or whatever takes your fancy!

We’d love to see your cakes – send in any photos to us at news@pilipalachildrenswear.com