Banana cake

Step 1

How to Make Banana Cake The recipe starts with mashed bananas (above). Now, make sure those bananas are nice and spotty. As you know, I’m very passionate about spotty bananas. The bananas you see above are just right. More brown spots = sweeter, more banana flavor. Your cake will thank you. I simply mash the bananas in my mixer– the same mixer I use for creaming the butter and sugars. Beat the bananas on high speed for a minute, then transfer to another bowl. I don’t even wash the mixing bowl– just throw the butter right in and start creaming! I really love the mix of brown and white sugars in this banana cake. Brown sugar and banana pair wonderfully together and the brown sugar leaves the cake even more moist. Plus, a little brown sugar flavor is never a bad thing! Let’s see, what else. Oh! The cinnamon. Just a little bit, nothing overpowering. / teaspoon of ground cinnamon pairs with the brown sugar and banana flavors. Here’s the batter. There will be some pretty lumps. Ok, let’s face it– are lumps ever attractive? Ever? One more thing to note: buttermilk. Hey, how often do I express my love for buttermilk in desserts? You’re lucky I don’t hunt you down at parties and talk your ear off about… dairy. As you guessed, buttermilk is the moist-maker in this cake. The cake wouldn’t be what it is without it! You also need the acid in buttermilk to help the baking soda do its job. I rarely have buttermilk in my refrigerator, so I always sour whole milk instead. For this recipe, you need and / cups of buttermilk. If you don’t keep buttermilk on hand either, measure Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar. Pour into a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk until it reaches and / cups. Stir together, let it sit for minutes, then use in the recipe. To keep the cake extra rich, I recommend whole milk when you are souring milk. Instructions Preheat the oven to °F (°C) and grease a × inch pan.Make the cake: Mash the bananas. I usually just use my mixer for this! Set mashed bananas aside.Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy – about minute. Add both sugars and beat on high speed for minutes until creamed together. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the eggs and the vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, then beat in the mashed bananas. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Do not overmix. The batter will be slightly thick and a few lumps is OK.Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for - minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top of the cake is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil. Remove the cake from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. After about minutes, I usually place it in the refrigerator to speed things up.Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add cups confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add the extra / cup of confectioners sugar (I add it). Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. Refrigerate for minutes before serving. This helps sets the frosting and makes cutting easier.Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for days