Banana and Coconut Cake (Nauruan Christmas Cake)
In short: A moist loaf cake of ripe bananas and coconut with a toasty top, the kind of banana and coconut cake Nauruan families bake for Christmas. It takes about 1 h 20 min in total and makes 10 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 h
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 20 min
- Servings
- 10
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 340 kcal
In Nauru, banana and coconut are baked into a moist cake that many families make for Christmas. This version is a loaf cake. Ripe bananas give sweetness and a soft crumb, while coconut adds chew and a toasty top. It keeps well and needs no frosting. A thick slice goes nicely with tea or coffee.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 23 x 13 cm (9 x 5 in) loaf tin and line it with parchment.
- Beat the butter and sugar for 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
- Stir in the mashed bananas and coconut milk. The mixture may look slightly curdled, which is fine.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 1 cup of coconut. Fold into the banana mixture until just combined.
- Scrape into the tin, smooth the top and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, covering loosely with foil after 35 minutes if the top browns too fast, until a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely before slicing.
Tips
- Use bananas that are heavily spotted or even black. The riper the fruit, the sweeter and moister the cake. Freeze overripe bananas and thaw them before mashing.
- Store the cake wrapped at room temperature for 3 days, or slice and freeze it for up to 2 months.
Questions and answers
Is this a traditional Nauruan cake?
Banana and coconut cake is the cake many Nauruans bake for Christmas. Recipes vary from family to family, and this one is a simple loaf version.
Can I use fresh coconut?
Yes. Use 120 g (1 1/4 cups) freshly grated coconut in place of the desiccated coconut, and bake a few minutes longer if the batter seems wet.
Can I make it dairy-free?
Yes. Replace the butter with 100 ml (1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp) of coconut oil, melted, and beat it with the sugar and eggs.
How long does it take to make Banana and Coconut Cake (Nauruan Christmas Cake)?
About 1 h 20 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 1 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Banana and Coconut Cake (Nauruan Christmas Cake)?
About 340 kcal per serving, with 4 g of protein, 41 g of carbohydrates and 18 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 340 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 41 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 20 g |
| Sodium | 240 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
