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Prep time
30 minutes
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Cook time
35 minutes
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Serves
a two layer cake
Author Notes
I got a little obsessed with the perfect banana cake - it started when our banana plants decided to give us several hands of bananas all at once, we were eating and drinking bananas in every possible configuration. Including cake. I wanted a lighter than usual cake (banana cakes tend to be very dense and moist in my experience) and a lighter than usual cream cheese icing, and I wanted to have hints of honey and vanilla. I searched the net, I baked a couple cakes, I asked the hotline ( http://food52.com/hotline... ) and then I just plain pestered Hardlikearmour a lot because she's awesome. I think I finally got it. ** the photo is actually an earlier iteration that was a bit denser - the one I got right was set upon and eaten before I could get a shot ** —aargersi
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Ingredients
- The Banana Cake
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2 cups
ripe mashed banana (3-4 depending on their size)
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3 cups
AP flour
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2 teaspoons
baking powder
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1 teaspoon
baking soda
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1/2 teaspoon
salt
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2
eggs (separated)
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1/4 teaspoon
cream of tartar
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1 1/4 cups
sugar
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2 teaspoons
vanilla (I used Tahitian)
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1/4 cup
vegetable oil
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1/2 cup
buttermilk
- Cream and Cream Icing
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8 ounces
cream cheese - room temp
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4 tablespoons
unsalted butter - room temp
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1 teaspoon
vanilla
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1 cup
powdered sugar
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2 tablespoons
very floral honey (I used Yucatecan)
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1 cup
heavy cream
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Sliced ripe banana - enough to cover a layer of cake
Directions
- The Banana Cake
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Heat the oven to 350. Butter or spray two 9" cake tins, line with parchment rounds and butter or spray those too (I spray - it's so easy!)
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Whisk all dry ingredients except sugar together. Use a large bowl - everything is going to end up in there.
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In a second bowl, beat the egg yolks, oil and 1 C sugar together. Then beat in the banana.
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In yet another bowl, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and 1/4 cup sugar until soft peaks form.
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Alternately mix the buttermilk and dry ingredients into the egg yolk and sugar, I did 2 rounds of each. Now fold in the egg whites.
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Pour into the pans and bake until they are golden and a tester comes out clean - 30-35 minutes. Cool for a few minutes then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
- Cream and Cream Icing
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Whip the cream until it has stiff peaks. Beat the cream cheese and butter together, then add the sugar, vanilla and honey - beat on low until the sugar is mixed in to avoid a sugar cloud, then beat on med-high until it is smooth and whipped. Fold in the whipped cream. Chill the icing for 15-20 minutes. Place a single layer of sliced banana on the bottom cake layer, then cover with icing. Put the second layer on an ice the cake!
Country living, garden to table cooking, recent beek, rescue all of the dogs, #adoptdontshop
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