Banana Cake Royale
So I am pretty excited about the next few cakes I get to make out of the lovely vintage cake book I am going through. If today’s cake is any indicator, then things are getting really good (not that they haven’t been but you know….)
This Banana Cake Royal I made yesterday…OH.MY.
Totally in love. Of course if you do not care for banana bread, I wouldn’t bother with it as it tastes like a really light and extra amazing banana bread covered in whipped cream. But if you, in any way shape or form, enjoy eating banana bread then you will love this cake.
As soon as I took a bite I knew Mr. Chemist would love it. He is not a huge cake person (like yours truly) but there are certain ones he enjoys. This was one of them. He served himself a HUGE slice, took a bite and said, “Oh man.” and then gobbled up the rest of it.
That means he likes it.
A lot.
I had 2 slices and it was oh so delicious.
- 6 bananas with slightly brown-flecked spots
- 2 cups sifted cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 12 graham crackers (enough to yield 1 cup crumbs)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ⅔ cup butter, soft
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs, separated
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 2 cups whipping cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pineapple juice
- Preheat your oven to 350˚ and prepare 3 - 8" cake pans by smearing with soft butter and placing a piece of parchment in the bottom of the pan, set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
- In a food processor, crush up the graham crackers until they resemble corn meal and add to the rest of the dry ingredients.
- Peel and mash 3-4 of the bananas (enough to make 1⅓ cup) Reserve remaining bananas for the garnish and filling.
- Combine the buttermilk with the mashed bananas.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and vanilla extract on high for 7 minutes.
- Gradually add the ⅔ cup sugar, beating until fluffy.
- Slow the mixer to low and add the egg yolks.
- Alternately add the dry ingredients and the banana mixture in 4 additions, beating only until smooth between additions.
- Using a clean beater, beat the egg whites to soft peaks then gradually add the ½ cup sugar until rounded peaks form.
- Fold the egg whites gently into the cake batter and then turn the batter, evenly, into prepared pans.
- Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the pans about 20 minutes and then run a knife around the edges and turn them onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Once cool and you are ready to assemble, place the whipping cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk and beat to soft peaks.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat to stiff peaks.
- Peel and slice the remaining bananas, dipping the slices into the pineapple juice.
- Place the first cake layer onto a cake plate or pedestal, layer ⅓ of the whipped cream and ⅓ of the banana slices and then place the next cake layer on. Do the same with the whipped cream and bananas.
- For the top, sprinkle walnuts over the top.
- Huckleberry Plum Pie - January 1, 2017
- Fresh Mango Sorbet - July 17, 2016
- Steak Caesar Salad - June 8, 2016
