Old-Fashioned Banana Roll

Just like the banana roll I used to buy my Granny at Woolworths many, many years ago! This is a lovely light banana cake with a whipped cream icing.

What brought this on? As I walked into my kitchen to put on a pot of tea, I was greeted by the smell of an overripe banana. And sure enough, there it was. One lone banana overly ripe on the counter -- not enough for muffins or a quick bread. So now what? Freeze it for good use later? Or throw it out?

And then I remembered!



Like a candy-coated flashback, it all came back. Little me as a teeny-bopper picking up a sweet banana roll at Woolworths on my way home one Saturday for a weekend visit.
After that first purchase it became the norm - a banana roll was toted home
(along with my dirty laundry) each and every visit !

This brought back many fond memories. I hope it does the same for you.
And if not, well then you can bet it will create new superb memories
for you to enjoy in the future!

Rather than trying to put together a recipe from scratch with the hopes of mimicking the real thing, I figured there was no way I was the only person who loved and missed this little dessert. My Google research led me to find a recipe that I was sure was my ticket to recreating the Woolworths Banana Roll and I found it here at Tasty Home.
I did adapt this version though as I went along.

I am not a jelly roll superstar. To be honest, this is the FIRST one I have ever baked.
I am proud to say it came out perfectly!

LET'S GET STARTED !

To begin, I greased a cookie sheet (as I had no jelly roll pans hanging around)
and lined it with parchment paper with 2 inch overhang.
Then I greased the parchment paper too !


The batter was simple but beware, have 3 mixing bowls handy before you begin.
I smoothed it into the pan and hoped for the best.


10 minutes in the oven and out it came to be immediately transferred
to a tea towel which was pre-dusted with icing sugar.
Then I simply, and gently, rolled up the cake into a little log.
I let it sit for a good hour before icing.

Yes, there is a little jelly roll all tucked away in here.
I couldn't stop touching it while it was still warm and swaddled in the tea towel.
It felt like a kitten wrapped up in a blanket (and yes, in a GOOD way!!)


Let the icing begin !


So two amazing things occurred today:
I conquered my fear of jelly roll baking and I recreated a memory!
I brought the past into the present!

RECIPE:

WHAT YOU NEED

FOR THE ROLL

1 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (1 large banana works)
1 tablespoon full-fat sour cream
5 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup fine granulated sugar
1 large egg at room temperature

FOR THE FILLER ICING

3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon fine granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon banana extract
1 package of Whip It

MAKE IT

PREHEAT oven to 350F
GREASE a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan
LINE with parchment paper ensuring 2 inch overhang on all sides
IN MEDIUM BOWL, SIFT flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and salt.
IN SMALL BOWL, MASH banana and combine with sour cream.
IN LARGE BOWL, CREAM butter until it is smooth (1-2 minutes medium speed with hand-mixer).
ADD sugar and scrape sides of bowl if necessary.
CREAM SUGAR and butter for 2 minutes medium speed.
ADD egg and continue to beat 2 minutes.
SLOWLY add half flour mixture, then banana mixture and end with remaining flour mixture. MIX until smooth.
POUR batter into pan and use icing spatula or knife to spread evenly.
BAKE for 10 - 12 minutes until top starts to turn golden brown.

REMOVE from oven
LAY a tea towel on your work surface and dust with icing sugar
INVERT cake onto tea towel and ROLL up with towel.
ALLOW to cool for 1/2 hr.

MAKE ICING:

COMBING all icing ingredients blending at medium to high speed with a hand-mixer
until smooth and thickened.

ICE THIS BABY !!

UNROLL cake slowly (if it starts to stick gently pull towel off cake) and spread with 1/2 of icing
ROLL up slowly and cover with remaining icing
SPRINKLE top of jelly roll with chopped walnuts

ENJOY! This one is to remember!!