Bake off is back on our tellies this week! I'll be baking along every week in my kitchen with a humble recipe which everyone can easily try at home. This week is "Cake" week so we've made a lovely Banana & Walnut Cake Loaf at Ashley Thomas HQ. This cake is perfect to watch the first episode with, teamed with a cup of tea of course. It's not too sweet, lovely and sticky in the middle, oh and it's super easy to make!

You'll need...

For the cake...

50g Unsalted butter

250g self-raising flour

225g caster sugar

50g desiccated coconut

65g walnuts, finely chopped

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

435g can crushed pineapple, drained

2 large ripe bananas, mashed

2 eggs, beaten

150ml vegetable oil

For the icing... 

50g softened butter

200g mascarpone cheese

400g icing sugar

1tsp lemon zest

dried banana chips

To make...

Preheat the oven to 180oC

Grease a loaf tin and line with baking paper

Mix together the flour, caster sugar, coconut, walnuts and bicarbonate of soda in a large mixing bowl.

Then mix the pineapple, egg and banana and oil

Add to the flour and mix well.

Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for about 1 hour.

Leave to cool for 5 mins and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

In the meantime make your icing. beat together the cheese and butter.

Add the icing sugar a bit at a time until the consistency is smooth and not too runny.

Then add the lemon zest.

Top the cake with the icing and decorate with banana chips.