BANANA CAKE

My usual go-to for using up old bananas is banana bread or banana muffins, but I wanted to kick it up a notch. I dug up Ina Garten’s banana cake recipe. It turned out wonderfully and I only added some spice and pecans. Banana cake tastes like a fluffier version of banana bread and of course, the icing is a key element.

I did find the banana cake sunk a bit in the middle as it cooled, but nothing detrimental to the flavor or overall cake structure. You can see the slight dip in the image above.

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Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

• 3 very ripe bananas mashed
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• zest of 1 orange
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients

• 6 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons 3/4 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar 1/2 pound
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Making the Cake

• 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, spices, and salt.
• With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
• Fold in the chopped pecans.
• 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.

Icing the Cake

• 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 sifted icing sugar and mix until smooth.
• Spread the icing on the cooled cake and sprinkle with the chopped pecans