Mamas Banana Cake Food

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.

MAMA'S BANANA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Grease two (6x9 inch) loaf pans.
• In a small bowl, mash bananas together with vanilla.
• In a large bowl combine brown sugar, oil, sour cream, and eggs, stirring until combined.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to sugar mixture, stirring until just combined. Stir in banana mixture, ground pecans, and mini chocolate morsels.
• Pour into pans and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 15 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

MAMA DAISY'S BANANA PUDDING

Steps:

• In a 3-quart heavy saucepan on low heat, add sugar, flour and salt. Pour in the evaporated milk and stir constantly. The mixture will thicken slowly, about 15 minutes.
• Lightly beat the egg yolks in a medium size bowl. Add a ladleful of the thickened milk mixture to the eggs and whisk, to temper the eggs. Add the egg mixture into the saucepan and continue to whisk and cook until incorporated, roughly 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter and the vanilla extract. Place the pudding into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let cool in refrigerator for 2 1/2 hours.
• Into a large bowl or trifle dish, add a layer of vanilla wafers, a layer of sliced bananas, and top with pudding. Add the whipped cream and then repeat the layers. Garnish with crumbled cookies on top.

BAHAMA MAMA BANANA RUM CAKE

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE GLAZE.
• Combine the butter, water, and sugars in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the rum. Set aside and keep warm.
• TO MAKE THE CAKE.
• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F Spray a 10-cup tube pan with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle the pecans in the bottom of the pan and set aside.
• In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
• One by one, beat in the eggs, taking care to mix well between each addition.
• Beat in the mashed bananas, vanilla, and rum.
• Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt over the batter and fold in using a rubber spatula, just until no streaks of flour remain.
• Fold in the sour cream.
• Spoon the batter into the pan and spread to the pan using the back of a rubber spatula.
• Bake about 60-80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Use a wooden skewer to poke holes all over the cake and pour 1/4 cup glaze over the cake.
• Allow to cool for 5 more minutes. Place a serving platter over the pan and invert to release the cake. Spoon the remaining glaze over the cake, little by little, and let stand until the glaze is completely absorbed by the cake. If the glaze starts to pool at the base of the cake, use a small metal spatual to spread it up and around the sides of the cake. As the glaze cools, it will form a rummy, sugary shell.
• Allow to cool completely before serving.