The secret ingredient that makes banana bread perfect

Banana cake is one of the most beloved baked goods for its simplicity and taste, but there is a little-known trick that makes it even more special.

The secret ingredient? Mayonnaise.

Why add mayonnaise?

Mandy Rivers, culinary expert at South Your Mouth, after countless experiments, discovered that mayonnaise is the key to an extra airy and creamy banana cake. As strange as it sounds, the eggs and oil in mayonnaise react with the sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in the batter, making the texture richer and velvety.

The benefits of mayonnaise in the batter

The addition of mayonnaise hardly changes the taste of the cake, but significantly increases its moisture content. As a result, the cake stays fresh and soft longer, and retains that perfect texture, even several days after baking.

Required ingredients

- 180g flour

- 200g granulated sugar

- 150g mayonnaise

- 75g butter at room temperature

- 2 eggs

- 3 very ripe bananas

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1 teaspoon baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)

- Half a teaspoon of salt

Step-by-step instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a cake pan well. In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, butter, vanilla extract, sugar and eggs until evenly blended.

Here's how to handle the bananas

Take a separate bowl and mash the bananas with a fork until no more pieces are visible. Then add the mashed bananas to the previously made mixture and stir gently with a whisk.

The final amalgamation

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add this dry mixture to the batter  bit by bit and gently spat it in. It is important not to mix the batter for too long so that the texture remains airy.

The perfect baking time

Pour the batter into the prepared mold and bake the cake in the oven for 55-65 minutes. The banana cake is ready when the top is nicely golden brown. Check the cooking by inserting a skewer into the center: if it comes out clean, the cake is done.

The trick to keep the cake nice and creamy

Remove the banana cake from the oven and let it cool down completely in the mold. This step is crucial to ensure that the cake retains all its moisture. This way, it will remain just as soft and creamy for days, as if it just came out of the oven.

(MP/©GreenMe.It/translation and adaptation: The Global Lifestyle/Illustration: Sincerely Media via Unsplash)