Finished dish photo of Cranberry Banana Pound Cake – Corn Oil Version

Cranberry Banana Pound Cake – Corn Oil Version

A cake made with fresh bananas has an intense aroma, but it must be enjoyed quickly, or the natural banana fragrance will fade. This kind of aroma is not as long‑lasting or strong as artificial essence, yet it has a natural, gentle fragrance. So when you add Nestlé Eagle Brand condensed milk and some cranberries to a banana cake, that captivating flavor will definitely win you over.

Ingredients

ripe banana1 (100 g, peeled)
cake flour (low‑gluten flour)100 g
egg1 (about 62 g with shell)
caster sugar15 g
Nestlé Eagle Brand condensed milk35 g
corn oil45 ml
aluminum‑free baking powder5 g
cranberries30 g
syrupto taste
granulated sugar10 g
cooled boiled water30 g

Steps

1

Prepare a can of Nestlé Eagle Brand condensed milk, 1 egg, and 1 very ripe banana.

Cranberry Banana Pound Cake – Corn Oil Version - Step 1
Click to enlarge
2

Mash the ripe banana with the back of a spoon, then add the egg, sugar, Nestlé Eagle Brand condensed milk, and corn oil.

Cranberry Banana Pound Cake – Corn Oil Version - Step 2
Click to enlarge
3

Use a hand whisk to mix until evenly combined and fully emulsified.

Cranberry Banana Pound Cake – Corn Oil Version - Step 3
Click to enlarge
4

Sift in the cake flour and baking powder. Fold a few times with a rubber spatula, then add the dried cranberries and fold until just combined (do not overmix! It’s enough when there are no lumps in the batter; otherwise gluten will develop and the cake crumb will have lots of large air bubbles). I forgot to take a photo when I added and folded in the cranberries.

Cranberry Banana Pound Cake – Corn Oil Version - Step 4
Click to enlarge
5

Preheat the oven for 10 minutes. Use a 26 cm pound‑cake pan and pour in the batter (lightly brush the inside of the pan with a thin layer of corn oil beforehand to help with unmolding). Shape the surface of the batter so it’s slightly lower in the middle and higher on both sides.

Cranberry Banana Pound Cake – Corn Oil Version - Step 5
Click to enlarge
6

Bake at 160°C for 40–43 minutes. The cake will naturally crack on the surface while baking and looks beautiful, so there’s no need to take it out midway to score a slit.

Cranberry Banana Pound Cake – Corn Oil Version - Step 6
Click to enlarge
7

After baking, remove the cake from the pan and let it cool. Now make the syrup: put cooled boiled water and granulated sugar into a small milk pot, set the heat to about 90°C (I use an induction cooker), and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens slightly, then remove from the heat (reduce it to about 1 tablespoon, just enough to brush over the entire surface of the pound cake).

Cranberry Banana Pound Cake – Corn Oil Version - Step 7
Click to enlarge
8

Refrigerate the cake overnight. Slice it the next day after it has reabsorbed the oil and the texture has settled. Enjoy!

Cranberry Banana Pound Cake – Corn Oil Version - Step 8
Click to enlarge

Cooking Tips

1. This pound cake uses corn oil, making it lower in fat, healthier, and quicker to prepare. 2. Every oven is different, so adjust the temperature and time as needed. 3. After the cake is baked, insert a toothpick into the center and pull it out; if it comes out clean with no wet batter, the cake is done.