Asian Banana Cake Food

ASIAN BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 360°F; line a 9x5 inch loaf pan entirely.
• Whisk flour and baking powder together in a bowl and set aside.
• Beat eggs and sugar till very, very light and creamy. Pour in mashed bananas and continue beating with electric mixer till very thick. I usually beat it for 10 minutes. It is essential to mix it well.
• Using a hand whisk, mix in the flour mixture till everything is nice and homogenous.
• Next, fold in the banana essence and oil and mix well.
• Pour into your prepared pan and bake for around 35 - 40 minutes. Do check at 35 minutes, in case your oven is faster than mine!

BANANA CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the banana cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Add the bananas to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Let the mixer do the work of mashing for you. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well combined. Mix in the yogurt and vanilla. Turn the mixer to low and add the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack and cool completely.
• For the cream cheese frosting: Using the electric mixer on high speed, blend the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. With the mixer on low, add the confectioners' sugar and then the vanilla.
• Spread the frosting on top of the cake. Decorate around the perimeter of the cake with raspberries, if desired.

OLD-FASHIONED BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 by 2-inch round cake pan.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the bananas, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on low speed until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the oil, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest. Mix until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in the chopped walnuts, if using. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, turn out onto a cooling rack, and cool completely.
• Spread the frosting thickly on the top of the cake and decorate with walnut halves, if using.
• Mix the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed until just combined. Don't whip! Add the sugar and mix until smooth.

THAI STEAMED BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Toss the coconut with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl; set aside.
• Sift the rice flour, tapioca flour, and arrowroot starch together in a large bowl; stir the coconut cream into the mixture until the flours are incorporated into the cream, at least 10 minutes. Stir the sugar into the mixture until completely dissolved. Add the mashed banana and mix well. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt and coconut milk; again, mix well. Pour the batter into a square baking tin or individual aluminum foil cups. Top with the reserved coconut.
• Bring about 1-1/2 inches of water to boil in a steamer fitted with a large basket. Steam the cake over the boiling water until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.

JAMAICAN BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream butter. Add dry ingredients, bananas, and buttermilk. Mix slightly. Add eggs and beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.
• Fold in walnuts.
• Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13-inch pan. Bake for about 35 minutes or until very well browned and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. When cool, prepare topping.
• Coconut Topping: Set oven to broil.
• Mix butter, sugar, and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter melts.
• Add coconut and walnuts.
• Pour and spread over cooled cake.
• Place under broiler (not too close) and broil for 2 to 3 minutes or just until coconut begins to brown. Cool.

VIETNAMESE RICE CAKES IN BANANA LEAVES

Steps:

• 1. Place the sticky rice in a large bowl and cover it with 3 inches of water. Stir in the food coloring, if using, and let the rice soak overnight. (Once soaked, the rice will double to about 4 cups.) In a separate bowl, soak the mung beans for at least 4 hours. Drain both just before using and set aside in separate bowls. Add the salt to the rice and stir to blend.
• 2. Combine the shallots, fish sauce, black pepper and pork pieces and let marinate for 30 minutes.
• 3. Heat the oil in a frying pan over moderate heat. Add the pork pieces and all the marinade and stir just until the meat is brown around the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
• 4. Using a steamer basket, steam the mung beans until they are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• 5. To make the packet, neatly lay down the wrappers in this order: 1 sheet of plastic wrap (leave the other for use later), the aluminum foil, 2 sheets banana leaves (one perpendicular to the other). Place one cup of the rice in the center of the banana leaf, spreading it to cover a 5-inch square. Place half of the mung beans on top, then add the pork pieces. Cover with the remaining mung beans and place 1 cup of rice on top. Bring the narrow sides of the wrappers together. Fold the gathered edges over twice, then flatten against the packet. (You now have two open ends.) Fold one end over and hold the packet upright. Add half of the remaining rice, tapping it and pushing it down so the packet will be an even square. Fold the end over and repeat on the other side.
• 6. Place the packet with the folded sides down in the center of the remaining plastic sheet. Wrap tightly so that water will not seep into the packet during cooking.
• 7. Tightly tie the packet with two parallel strings in both directions (as in a tic-tac-toe pattern).
• 8. Fill a large stockpot with water. Add the packet and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Place a colander or something heavy on top of the packet to keep it submerged in the water. Cook uncovered until done, about 6 hours, adding more water if necessary. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 1 hour.
• 9. To serve, cut the packet (without unwrapping) into 1/2-inch slices. Remove the wrapping and arrange the slices on a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature. If wrapped in plastic and refrigerated, the cake will keep for 1 week.