Banana Cake

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm loose bottomed cake tin. If making coconut cream, fix the whisk attachment (or blade) in the food processor and process the creamed coconut and water until smooth.
2. Add the cream and icing sugar and process on 'pulse' until lightly whipped. Transfer to a bowl and chill until ready to use.
3. To make the cake, fix the large blade attachment in the food processor - there is no need to wash out the bowl after making the topping. Add the bananas and process until mashed.
4. Add all the remaining cake ingredients except the pecans and process on 'pulse' until well combined. Add the pecan nuts and process until just roughly chopped. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin and level the surface with the back of a flat knife.
5. Bake for 1-1¼ hours until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool, remove from the tin, peel off the lining paper and transfer to a serving plate ready to serve or decorate.
6. If decorating, spoon the coconut cream over the top and sides of the cake to cover. Preheat the grill to medium. To make the coconut shavings, remove the flesh from a fresh coconut and peel into thin strips using a swivel-head peeler.
7. If you can't get hold of a fresh coconut, use dry coconut shavings instead. Toast until pale golden. Cool completely before sprinkling on to the cake. Dust with icing sugar before serving.