I have a reputation with my children for getting a little bit carried away when I do Christmas baking. A few years ago, I was so excited about having all of our children and grandchildren home for the holidays, I kept adding to the items I just had to make. By the time they all arrived, I had quite a dessert “buffet” that included 18 items. I still haven’t lived that down!
This month’s issue had all the makings for me getting carried away again. It was difficult to stop coming up with recipes. Hopefully, I will have gotten some of the need to bake out of my system before Christmas and can keep the recipes to a reasonable number. Only time will tell.
Banana Caramel Cake
Servings 12
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 sticks plus 3 T. butter room temperature
- 2-3/4 c. flour
- 1 t. baking soda
- 1 t. baking powder
- 1/2 t. Salt
- 3 very ripe bananas mashed
- 3 ripe bananas sliced lengthwise
- 1/4 c. sour cream
- 1 t. vanilla
- 1-2/3 c. plus 1/4 c. sugar
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line bottoms with parchment paper.
- Beat 1-1/2 sticks butter, and 1-2/3 c. sugar for 3 min.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.
- Add eggs, one at a time, to butter mixture and mix on low. Add flour mixture, in two parts, beating between each addition.
- In separate bowl, mix the very ripe mashed bananas with sour cream and vanilla. Fold banana mixture into batter.
- Pour into pans and bake 30-35 minutes until done. Cool on wire rack.
- Sprinkle 1/4 c. sugar in large skillet. Cook over high heat until caramelized.
- Remove from heat and stir in 3 T. butter until melted.
- Return to medium heat. Add 3 sliced ripe bananas to skillet and cook 1-2 minutes and gently turn and cook 2 more minutes until lightly browned.
- Place sliced bananas between cooled layers of cake and ice with your favorite cream cheese frosting.
