Molten Bananas Foster Cake Food

BANANAS FOSTER CAKE WITH RUM BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Place bananas (in peel) on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and bake in preheated oven until peel is very dark and just starting to split open, 20 to 25 minutes. Let bananas cool completely, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard peels. Mash bananas in a small bowl to measure 1 1/2 cups. Save any remaining mashed bananas for another use or discard.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Coat 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray. Beat 1/2 cup of the butter with a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. With mixer running on medium speed, gradually add brown sugar and granulated sugar, and beat until creamy, about 5 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until just combined after each addition. Beat in vanilla and 1 1/2 cups reserved mashed bananas on low speed until just combined.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl. With mixer running on low speed and beating until just combined after addition, add flour mixture to banana mixture, alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans, and spread in an even layer.
• Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 23 to 28 minutes. Transfer pans to wire racks, and cool 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, beat remaining 1 1/2 cups butter with stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low; gradually add powdered sugar, rum, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium, add 1 tablespoon of the cream, and beat until fluffy and spreadable, 1 to 2 minutes, adding remaining 1 tablespoon cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed.
• Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Or, to decorate top of cake, spoon 1 cup of the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a No. 2D star tip before frosting cake. Spread remaining frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Pipe 12 stars around top edge of cake, and top each with a banana slice.

LEFTOVER BANANAS FOSTER CAKE MILKSHAKE

Steps:

• Add the ice cream, milk and bananas foster filling to a blender and blend until smooth.
• Yield:
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Active Time: 15 minutes
• Ease of preparation: easy
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 1/2-by-3 1/2-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Prepare the quick bread mix according to the package instructions. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool.
• To make the bananas foster filling: Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt and mix until dissolved into the butter. Remove the skillet from the heat (turn off the heat) and stir in the rum. Return the skillet to medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the diced bananas and cook until softened just a little bit but not mushy, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool until warm.
• Heat the cream in a medium pot over low heat just to a simmer. Remove from the heat, add the butterscotch chips and let sit until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and mix until well blended. Let cool completely so that it is thick but still pourable.
• Place the cake presentation-side up on a large round platter. Using a spoon, remove some of the cake from the hole in the center to make a slightly larger well. Fill the hole with the filling; the filling should come up to about 1/4 inch from the top surface of the cake. (You should have some of the filling left over, which can be used to top the individual slices of cake or mixed into a milk shake.)
• Starting in the center, gently pour the glaze over the filling, slowly moving in a concentric circle toward the outer part of the cake and allowing some of the glaze to pour down the sides of the cake. Garnish with the candied walnuts. Serve within 15 minutes of assembly. Slice and let the filling ooze out of the cake.

BANANAS FOSTER UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the topping: Melt together the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, salt and allspice over medium-high heat in a 9- or 10-inch cast-iron skillet, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a bubble and let the syrup cook until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully stir in the dark rum (see Cook's Note) and vanilla, then return the pan to the heat for 1 minute. Arrange the banana slices cut side down on top of the syrup.
• For the cake: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and nutmeg in a large bowl.
• Beat together the brown sugar, granulated sugar and butter in a stand mixer or electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl down after each addition. Beat in the mashed bananas and vanilla until incorporated. Beat in the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, scraping down the bowl to ensure all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
• Carefully, spread the batter over the top of the bananas in the skillet. Place a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven to catch any spillage! Bake until a tester comes out with some moist crumbs sticking to it, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before running a paring knife along the sides and inverting onto a serving platter while still warm.

UPSIDE-DOWN BANANAS FOSTER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter just the sides of a 9-inch round cake pan.
• For the caramel topping: Stir the sugar and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, and gently swirl the saucepan occasionally until the mixture is the color of deep amber, 8 to 9 minutes. If needed, brush any sugar crystals off the side of the pan with a wet pastry brush. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and carefully whisk in the butter (take care: the mixture can bubble up considerably). Pour the caramel into the prepared cake pan, tilting the pan to cover most of the bottom (be careful: the pan will be very hot from the caramel). Arrange the bananas in a single, tight layer, then cover any gaps with the remaining slices.
• For the cake: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together the milk and sour cream in a small bowl.
• Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down the side of the bowl as needed, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk-sour cream mixture, mixing until just incorporated.
• Pour the batter over the bananas in the cake pan, and spread evenly. Bake the cake until it is golden brown and bounces back when pressed and a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean when inserted in the center, 50 to 60 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to separate it from the pan. Poke the cake all over with a skewer, and brush the cake with the rum. Let cool in the pan on a rack until just cool enough to handle, 20 to 30 minutes. Invert a serving platter over the cake pan and, while holding them together, quickly flip them over so the cake unmolds, banana-side up. Let cool completely. Cut into wedges, and serve.

BANANAS FOSTER CAKE

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F Butter/flour three 9-inch cake pans. Sift flour, soda, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl. Peel bananas and mash with a fork, set aside. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scraping bowl thoroughly between each addition. Beat in vanilla and lemon zest. Add in 1/3 of flour just until combined. Add 1/2 of sour cream just until combined. Repeat with 1/2 of remaining flour, then remaining sour cream, ending with flour. Beat in bananas. Divide batter evenly between pans and bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool cakes on a rack for 20 minutes before removing from pans.
• Pastry Cream: Heat half-and-half, 3 tablespoons sugar, and salt in small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.
• Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks in medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and whisk until sugar has begun to dissolve and mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds. Whisk in cornstarch until combined and mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.
• When half-and-half mixture reaches full simmer, gradually whisk simmering half-and-half into yolk mixture to temper. Return mixture to saucepan, scraping bowl with rubber spatula; return to simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until 3 or 4 bubbles burst on surface and mixture is thickened and glossy, about 30 seconds. Off heat, whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer mixture to medium bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours or up to 48 hours.
• Buttercream: Whisk egg whites and sugar together thoroughly in a heat proof bowl. Set bowl over a pot of boiling water. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until sugar has dissolved and mixture is just too hot to dip your finger inches (Careful not to scramble the eggs!) Pour into bowl of a standing mixer and beat on high speed to make a stiff meringue (this is a swiss meringue). Continue beating on slow speed until cooled to room temp, about 10 minutes. Gradually beat in butter a few cubes at a time until all is incorporated. Beat in vanilla and rum. You can refrigerate this for up to 10 days or freeze up to a month. Bring to room temp and whisk before using.
• Caramel Sauce: In a small to medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water and cook over medium heat stirring until sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, increase heat to high, cover and bring to a full boil. (The steam will wash the sides of the pan to remove any sugar crystals.) After a minute or so, remove the lid and cook without stirring until it begins to turn a golden brown around the edges (it should take 5 to 10 minutes depending on the size of your pan). In the meantime, heat the cream until it begins to simmer. Set aside for a moment. As soon as you start to see the sugar syrup turn golden, carefully swirl the pan to redistribute the caramel. (Do not stir! The sugar will crystallize.) A few moments longer is all it will take -- just until it is an even golden color. Now, remove from the heat and slowly pour in the cream while stirring with a long-handled wooden spoon. It will bubble up furiously, so be careful not to let it overflow. Stop for a second and let it die down if necessary. Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth. Stir in salt and let cool to room temperature.
• Assembly: Spread cold pastry cream between cake layers. Ice sides and top with buttercream. Pipe a decorative border around the top edge of the cake to create a dam for the caramel. If the caramel has cooled too much to pour, warm it just until it's more fluid, but not warm enough to melt the buttercream. Pour an even layer of caramel onto the top of the cake. Save the rest for serving along side or over ice cream, or eat it with a spoon -- it's amazing!
• Decorate the cake however you like -- I use sliced bananas dipped in lemon juice and candied walnuts.

BANANAS FOSTER CAKE

Steps:

• Cake: preheat oven to 350°; beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy.
• Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
• Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Beat at low speed until blended after each addition, stopping to scrape the bowl as needed.
• Stir in the mashed bananas and vanilla.
• Pour batter into 3 (8 inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray for baking.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until a pick comes out clean.
• Run a sharp knife around edges of pan; cool cake layers in pans of wire racks for 5 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
• Meanwhile, prepare glaze: bring brown sugar, corn syrup, and 3 tablespoons water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring constantly.
• Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until sugar dissolves; stir in butter, rum, and cinnamon.
• Frosting: beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth; stir in milk and vanilla.
• Pierce cake layers with a wooden pick; drizzle with Brown Sugar Rum Glaze; let stand for at least 10 minutes.
• Spread 1/4 cup frosting on 1 cake layer; arrange half of banana slices over frosting.
• Repeat procedures with a second cake layer, 1/4 cup frosting, and remaining half of banana slices.
• Top with third cake layer; frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.
• Garnish, if desired.

BANANAS FOSTER UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Place brown sugar, 1/4 cup of the butter and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Heat over medium low heat until butter is melted and mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in rum and pour into a 9-inch round cake pan.
• Arrange banana slices in circles over brown sugar mixture.
• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Place remaining 1/2 cup butter and sugar in a large bowl; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating will after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
• In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• At low speed, beat in flour mixture in3 parts alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Spoon and gently spread batter over bananas.
• Bake 45-55 min or until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minute.
• Run small knife around edge of cake; carefully invert cake onto serving plate. Serve warm.