h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

the answer would be "when there's no bananas in it" but how can that be??

A friend of mine had his first attempt at cake baking recently, it was name "Southern Comfort Surprise". A basic sponge cake, but with Southern Comfort and Snickers bars added (the bars all sank to the bottom), it was very nice, but tasted of banana! Even though there was no bananas, banana essence, banana flavour! This has puzzled all the work colleagues here, if anyone could shed any light on the subject, I would be very grateful!

Thanks

I have to have the recipe!

Purely in the interest of research you understand. Independent verification is important I think.



agcB

Yes.

What do we want?
The recipe.
When do we want it?
Now.

PP

But could us stick in the mud Brits use Marathons instead of Snickers?

PP

I actually had a similar experince. I baked a nice apple pie, but added some crushed macaroons to the mixture... My friend sits there and tells me the pie tastes like bananas. Never saw the trace of a banana, still she thought it tasted like it. And I have to admit, she was right...

What is that all about anyway?

Oh... and by the way... I would also very much like the recipe

A theory that has been put forward is that the chap in question may have created an "Ester" (not bad considering it's his first attempt at baking since the age of 8), a chemical reaction between various compounds, some of which produce various flavours and smells. If you want to have a look, go here -
[URL removed by moderator]
obviously something funny going on between the Snickers (Marathons) and Southern Comfort!

Am trying to get hold of the recipe, and the exact process of making it!

Take one 8 year old, a bottle of Southern Comfort, and 4 snickers bars...

Hmmmm



agcB

Waiting! (patiently)

Yes, we are still waiting for that recipe...

......erm.......impatiently now?

I made some banana-flavoured esters when I was a kid. I cannot tell you what went into them, though ... I pretty much forgot all the chemistry I ever learned. But the ingredients weren't that complicated, some kind of alcohol might have been involved, and those esters did somewhat smell like bananas but I burnt them which made some fiendish-smelling fumes and turned an entire test tube black permanently!

The ester theory sounds pretty good - isopentyl acetate (aka banana oil) is made by esterification.

There are a few ways to make banana oil, but the likeliest one in this case is a carboxylic acid reacting with alcohol. The alcohol's easy to find - it's in the Southern Comfort. As for the acid, lactic acid (from the milk in the chocolate), citric acid (also in the Southern Comfort) are good candidates, as they're both carboxylic acids. There are also a bunch of other fatty acids that might be in a Snickers bar and its peanuts which would do the trick too.

STILL WAITING.

YES I DO HAVE TO SHOUT.

I know it's not exactly a banana cake but somebody told me yesterday of a mock banana trifle made with parsnips instead of bananas which apparently tastes pretty much like the real thing. It was an invention of necessity from a wartorn 40's Britain which had no bananas. My gliding club resurrected it for a "it's not 1940" party at the start of this week's vintage glider rally. Those who ate it swear it had the look, feel and taste of genuine banana trifle (although I suspect the caterer used a few drops of banana essence to enhance the effect)

... I read that as "a wanton 40's Britain" and had visions of women wildly making desserts with root vegetables, and recklesly using parsnips for luscious and sinfull puddings...

***B

No I'm sorry there is no way that I am going to eat that. However, wanton women in their 40's.....

Oh and by the way, STILL WAITING. This thread will never die until we get the recipe.

PP

What about wanton women in their 30s?

***B

Yes please. I'll pay post and packing.

PP

But aren't you perilously close to Stevenage?

***B