Hi it’s Leanne here.

I am just putting it out there that I have an aversion to baking that relates wholly to the AMOUNT OF MESS generated. Despite this, with three tween/teenagers at home I am motivating them to get off their devices by cooking nice things (along with dinner once a week - what an excellent idea if I do say so myself).

So, this weekend we did a menu plan for the week (which also makes my pre-corona being shudder - I’m generally NOT keen on a plan … but let me not get off track) and we added in a number of baked items. I have to say for all my whinging here, I was QUITE looking forward to Scarlett attempting chocolate soufflé … and that’s how I found out that FLOUR is the new TOILET PAPER.

My kids were going to be heartbroken - but luckily I saved the day by buying some Coles butter cake sachets - the cheapest thing I could find in the cake mix section. Only 75 cents each. And so at my prodding Jemima improvised making banana bread and instead made banana butter cake - which actually, if she’d cooked it in a loaf tin, would very much pass for banana bread. In fact I’d have to say it really is banana bread.

If you are interested in the adaptation, we followed the directions on the packet but reduced the milk to half a cup (meant to be 2/3) and added in 2 mashed bananas. We were going to add cinnamon as well, but I think I left my cinnamon at work (I am always misplacing my spices to aid Community Lunch efforts). Some walnuts would be a good addition too I reckon.

Anyway, my point is don’t despair without flour! Where there’s a will there’s a way. And in this instance it’s called Coles butter cake mix.