Southern Living Marvelous Banana 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.

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.

SOUTHERN LIVING MARVELOUS BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating will at medium speed of an electric mixer.
• Add bananas; mix until smooth.
• Stir in eggs.
• Combine flour and baking soda; add to banana mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture (mixing after each addition).
• Stir in vanilla, bourbon (or juice) and pecans.
• Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9 inch round cake pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes; cool in pans 10 minutes and remove cake from pans.
• Cool completely on wire racks.
• Spread Banana Nut Frosting between layers and on top of cake.
• Yield: one 3 layer cake.
• Banana Nut Frosting:.
• Combine banana and lemon juice; set mixture aside.
• Cream softened butter at medium speed of an electric mixer; add powdered sugar and milk and mix well.
• Add banana mixture, beating until fluffy.
• Stir in toasted coconut and chopped pecans.
• Yield: 3 1/2 cups.

SOUTHERN LIVING'S EASIEST BANANA BREAD EVER

Steps:

• Beat eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer until thick and pale; add cake mix and next 3 ingredients, mixing well.
• Stir in bananas and nuts.
• Pour batter into two greased and floured 8 1/2x 4 1/2 x 3-inch loafpans.
• Bake at 350F for 1 hour or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

UPSIDE-DOWN BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Grease a 14cm x 24cm loaf pan, and line the base and sides with baking paper.
• Making the topping: combine the butter and sugar in a small bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved; spread this over the base of the pan; cut each banana into 9cm lengths, then cut each banana into four even slices; arrange the slices, cut-side facing downwards on top of the butter-sugar mixture.
• Making the cake: beat the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a small bowl (with an electric mixer if you have one) until light and fluffy; beat in the egg until it has combined with the mixture; transfer to a large bowl and stir in the mashed bananas; then gradually stir in the flour and the milk. Once the mixture is thoroughly combined, spoon it into the prepared pan on top of the banana slices.
• Cooking the cake: cook in a moderate (180°C) for one hour or until cooked when tested with a skewer; allow it to rest in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then turn it out onto an wire rack to cool.
• Serving the cake: the banana cake can be served warm or at room temperature. Serve with fresh cream or sweetened cream cheese (see SERVING SUGGESTIONS below).
• SERVING SUGGESTIONS: to serve the cake with sweetened cream cheese, beat 125g cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of icing sugar until the mixture is smooth, and serve in a separate bowl. Sprinkle the cake with slivered almonds.