TOKYO BANANA CAKE

Tokyo Banana cake is a very popular Japanese sweet. This soft-sponged snack, shaped like a banana with a fragrant inner cream, is considered one of the top 10 Japanese snacks to get from Tokyo. Though fluffy and cute looking, the ones we had in Japan were a tad too sweet for my liking. So I thought, "How about I try making a not-so-sweet version myself?" Then my LO could try it too since she loves bananas. I started digging and found this recipe online, but I have significantly cut down on the amount of sugar used and omitted it in the banana custard cream filling. The sponge cake was originally baked in one single pan and then cut into two 0.2-inch slices when done. I've tried twice and failed to slice it smoothly right across the middle (Maybe my baking/cutting skill sucked... sob sob), so I baked using 2 separate pans.

My not-so-sweet Tokyo Banana cake. LO liked them too :D

Ingredients:

For the banana custard cream:

50g banana, mashed
1/2 tbsp corn starch
1/2 egg
75ml fresh milk

*This amount is for more than 8 cakes.

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl til well combined.
Strain the mixture through a sieve into a saucepan. Stir constantly on low fire. Stop the heat when the cream starts to thicken and continue stirring til well mixed with the remaining heat. Leave to cool completely.
Transfer the cream into a pastry bag and chill in the fridge.

For the sponge cake (Makes 8):

35g cake flour
25g castor sugar
20g fresh milk, at room temperature
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line two 8-inch square cake pan with baking paper.
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar with a whisk. Place the bowl over a pan of hot water. Melt sugar and warm the mixture to about 40°C.
Beat the egg mixture with an electric mixer on high speed for about 5 mins and then turn to low speed for another 2 mins.
Sift in cake flour. Fold with spatula for about 10 times.
Add in milk and fold for about 50 times.

Add milk and fold.
Divide and pour batter evenly into the 2 prepared pans.
Drop the pans lightly on the counter to get rid of the air bubbles.
Bake in preheated oven for about 8-9 mins or til fully cooked.
Remove from oven and drop the pans lightly on the counter to prevent shrinking. Place on wire rack to cool.

Combine the 2:

Cut both sponge cakes into 4 squares.

Cut into 4 squares
Place the cake on plastic wrap with brown side up. Pipe out the banana custard cream in the middle, roll and twist the ends like a candy.

Roll and twist the ends like candy.
Best served chilled.

Cheryl

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