Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Banana Cake

Life handed me 3 over ripe bananas yesterday and I decided to make banana cake. Its pretty similar to banana bread, just a little less dense. The recipe also calls for cream cheese frosting which I decided to leave off. However, the recipe for the frosting is below.

One of Layla's favorite foods are bananas. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that I ate a banana everyday when I was pregnant?  An over ripe banana makes for perfect baby food. It is also one of the easier foods because it doesn't require any cooking.

If you would like to make the banana cake and banana baby food, you will need 4 ripe bananas. Add all the bananas to a stand mixer and mix on low speed until pureed. Scoop out 1/2 cup for baby and leave the rest for the cake.


Banana Cake
Serves 8






























Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas (add one banana to make baby food)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 light brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs-room temperature
1/2 sour cream (I did not have sour cream so I added 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
Cream cheese frosting- (optional) Recipe Below

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 2 inch round cake pan.

2. In a bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment mix the bananas until smooth. (If you are making baby food, scoop out 1/2 cup now)

3. Add in granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix on low until combined.

4. With the mixer on low, add in eggs, oil, sour cream (or yogurt), vanilla and orange zest. Mix until smooth.

5. In a separate bowl sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low, gradually add in dry ingredients until just moistened. Stir in chopped walnuts.

6. Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for 45-50 mins. Cool pan 15 mins and turn cake out on the wire rack to cool completely.

7. Spread the cream cheese frosting and top with walnuts.

(Recipe from Barefoot Contessa- How Easy is That? cookbook)



















































Cream Cheese Frosting:
Makes enough for one 9" cake

Ingredients:
6 oz cream cheese at room temperature
6 Tbps unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners sugar

Mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla on low speed until just combined. Add in sugar and mix until smooth.

1 comment:

  1. I haven't tried this recipe yet, but I plan to. When I do, I am going to put a nice warm slice in a bowl, and pour some milk over it and eat it with a spoon. A delicious trick I learned from some cousins of mine in Chicago. Doesn't sound great, but try it. It's absolutely delish!!

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