Try these recipes of baked desserts that aren't banana bread

What else to make when you get bored with your same old banana bread? Does this thought haunt you often? Then we have the perfect trio of recipes of baked desserts featuring the choicest spotty bananas that are too mushy to eat but still good enough to throw away. Mash them into a pulp and combine them with gluten and sugar and et voila you have a bunch of delicious banana desserts that for once isn’t banana bread.

1. Banana Blondies

(Serves 24)

• 225 gm salted butter, melted
• 300 gm packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• 240 gm all-purpose flour
• 230 gm mashed banana (about 2 medium bananas)

Brown Butter Frosting

• 55 gm salted butter
• 100 gm packed light brown sugar
• 30 ml milk
• 120 gm powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C, grease a 9x13-inch baking dish, and line it with parchment paper with ample overhanging the sides.
2. Take a bowl and using an electric stand or handheld mixer, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and continue mixing until the mixture is smooth.
3. Add the salt, flour, and mashed banana and stir until the batter is smooth and even.
4. Pour the batter into the baking dish and use a spatula to smooth the top.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. You'll know it’s done when the center is set and doesn't jiggle when you shake the pan.
6. Once baked, place the blondies on a wire rack to cool in the pan before frosting.
7. Melt butter in a saucepan, stirring sometimes, until it’s brown and gives off a nutty aroma. Add brown sugar and milk and stir until it boils.
8. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes.
9. Add the powdered sugar and whisk vigorously until the frosting is smooth.
10. Once the blondies are cool, spread the frosting evenly and let it set for about 30 minutes before cutting.

2. Baked Banana Pudding

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 4 medium-sized ripe bananas
• 50 ml vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 75 gm caster sugar
• 1 egg, whisked
• 100 gm plain flour

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Pick an ovenproof 8-inch dish and grease it lightly with butter.
3. Take a big bowl, and mash the bananas in it until smooth. Add vegetable oil, vanilla extract, flour, caster sugar, whisked egg, and cinnamon powder, and mix until you have a smooth mixture.
4. Pour your batter into the prepared dish and smoothen the top.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove the pudding from the oven and let it cool in the dish.

3. Banana Cake Pops

(Makes 36 Cake Pops)

Ingredients

• 120 ml cold milk
• 1 pack (about 100 gm) vanilla flavor instant pudding mix
• 1 fully ripe banana, mashed (about 120 gm)
• 300 gm pound cake, thawed and crumbled into fine crumbs
• 200 gm Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Bar, chopped
• 30 gm rainbow candy sprinkles

Instructions

1. Take a big bowl, and stir the cold milk with the pudding mix with a spatula until the pudding mix is just moistened. Immediately add the mashed banana and cake crumbs; mix well.
2. Use a cookie scoop to portion the cake mixture for each ball. Then, roll each portion between your palms to form smooth, round balls, each about 2.5cm in diameter. You should end up with approximately 36 balls.
3. Place the cake balls on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze for one hour.
4. Melt the chopped chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl on high power for one to two minutes, stirring after a minute to ensure proper melting.
5. To coat the cake balls, remove the inner tines of a disposable fork. Add the frozen cake balls to the melted chocolate in batches. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to evenly coat the balls with chocolate. Remove the coated balls with the prepared fork, allowing the excess to drip off.
6. If using lollipop or popsicle sticks, insert them into each cake ball before dipping in chocolate.
7. After dipping, return the coated cake balls to the wax paper-lined baking sheet. Immediately top with sprinkles or your chosen decoration.
8. Let the cake pops stand at room temperature until the coating is firm. Your Banana Cake Pops are ready to serve and enjoy.