Banana Ginger Macadamia Cake Food

BANANA PEEL CAKE WITH BROWN SUGAR FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the cake: Cut the banana peels into 1-inch pieces and place them in a small saucepan with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly, then drain the banana peels, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
• Meanwhile, butter and flour the sides of two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter and flour the pans again to coat the paper.
• Transfer the peels and the 1/4 cup of cooking water to a tall, narrow container and puree with an immersion blender until completely smooth (a mini food processor would do the trick, too!).
• Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer (or a wooden spoon for an arm workout) until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing until incorporated, and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Mix in the banana peel mixture, then stir in the buttermilk until well-combined.
• In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the butter mixture and stir gently, just until combined.
• Put the egg whites in another bowl (make sure it's clean and dry!) and whisk until soft peaks form -- either by hand or with the whisk attachment on an electric mixer. If using an electric mixer, start slowly and gradually increase speed to medium-high. You're done when you pull out the whisk or beater and a soft peak is formed, but immediately collapses. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter and divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
• Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake pulls out with dry crumbs rather than wet batter, about 25 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans.
• When the cakes are completely cool and you're ready to assemble, make the frosting: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in the brown sugar and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Stir in the milk, raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture boils. Remove from the heat and let cool to lukewarm. Gradually whisk in 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add the additional 1/4 cup powdered sugar if the frosting is too loose. Use the frosting immediately, as it will begin to thicken and stiffen as it sits.
• To remove the cake from the pans, invert one cake pan on a serving plate, lift pan, and peel the parchment. Repeat for the second cake pan. Put one layer of the cake on a serving platter and spread about one-third of the frosting evenly over the top. Set the other layer on top, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.

THE BEST BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan (see Cook's Note) with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two longer sides. Lightly spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
• For the cake, mash the bananas in a large bowl with a fork or potato masher until very smooth. Whisk in the dark brown sugar, melted butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla until smooth and combined. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
• Fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture in thirds until just combined. Pour into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Leave the cake in the pan to cool slightly, about 30 minutes. Use the foil overhang to remove the cake from the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, beat the butter, cream cheese and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Reduce to low speed, then add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract.
• Transfer 1/2 cup of the frosting to a small bowl and stir in the dulce de leche until smooth. Cover both frostings with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature until ready to assemble the cake.
• For the candied banana chips, warm the maple syrup in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until it just starts bubbling. Add the banana chips and cook, tossing and stirring frequently with a rubber spatula, until the chips have absorbed almost all the maple syrup and are browned in spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately transfer the banana chips to a baking sheet, spread in an even layer and cool completely. Once cool, roughly chop.
• Transfer the cake to a serving platter. Spread about 3/4 cup plain cream cheese frosting all over the top of the cake.
• Dollop the dulce de leche frosting and remaining plain frosting on top, then use a small offset spatula to swirl both frostings together in a swooping design, making sure the frosting goes all the way to the edges of the cake. Top with the chopped candied banana chips.

BANANA-GINGER-MACADAMIA CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with shortening or cooking spray. Line bottom with cooking parchment paper; grease and flour paper and sides of pans. In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg and salt.
• In large bowl, beat granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed 3 to 4 minutes or until fluffy. On low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas. (Mixture will look curdled.) Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup nuts. Spread batter evenly in pans.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until dark golden brown and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In large bowl, beat frosting ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
• On serving plate, place 1 cake layer, rounded side down. Spread with half of frosting. Place remaining cake layer, rounded side up, on frosting, pressing gently to secure (frosting should show around edge). Spread frosting on top of cake, leaving side unfrosted. Sprinkle 1/4 cup nuts around top edge of cake.

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.

BANANA CAKE WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 12 cupcake liners into a cupcake pan.
• In a medium bowl, cream the white sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, pudding mix and baking powder. Then add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Pour in the buttermilk and stir until the batter is smooth. Stir in the mashed banana. Pour or spoon the batter into the cupcake liners in the cupcake pan. Bake until the cake springs back to the touch, 18 to 20 minutes. Test cake doneness approximately 15 minutes into baking time. Cool.
• To assemble: Frost the cooled cupcakes with the Buttercream Frosting. Roll the cupcake tops and sides in the macadamia nuts.
• Slowly combine the butter into the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. After well incorporated, add white chocolate and vanilla. Whip well until light and fluffy.

BANANA GINGER MACADAMIA CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Grease bottom only of 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with shortening or cooking spray. Line bottom with cooking parchment paper; grease and flour paper and sides of pans. In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg and salt.
• In large bowl, beat granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed 3 to 4 minutes or until fluffy. On low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas. (Mixture will look curdled.) Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk,beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup nuts. Spread batter evenly in pans.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until dark golden brown and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In large bowl, beat frosting ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
• On serving plate, place 1 cake layer, rounded side down. Spread with half of frosting. Place remaining cake layer, rounded side up, on frosting, pressing gently to secure (frosting should show around edge). Spread frosting on top of cake, leaving side unfrosted. Sprinkle 1/4 cup nuts around top edge of cake.

GINGER BANANA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
• Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt together in a bowl.
• Beat butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Stir bananas, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract into creamed butter mixture until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture until batter is just combined; pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, 60 to 65 minutes. Cool bread in the pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.