May 18, 2008

Michele's Banana Cake

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family has. I have been in and out bed sick since Thursday; may have strep throat. As shared in an earlier post, it is very hard for me to do nothing. So between naps (haven't been in bed this much since I had major surgery) I've been doing kitchen things: washing dirty dishes, cooking and washing more dirty dishes. How do people just sit still and do nothing for days at a time? I feel some better this morning but not well enough to get far from my bed. If I'm not much better tomorrow I will go see the doctor.

Preheat oven to 325° (for glass pan) or 350° (for metal pan). Spray 9x13” pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup shortening
1 ½ cups sugar
2 large eggs, separated (whites beaten until stiff)
1 cup mashed, very ripe bananas (2 very large or 3 regular size)
1 2/3 cups plain all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup buttermilk or milk
1 teaspoon real vanilla
½ cup very finely chopped pecans or walnuts

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar with an electric mixer.

In a small mixing bowl, separate egg whites from yolks. Add yolks to sugar mixture above and beat well. Beat egg whites in small bowl until stiff. Set aside. This will the last ingredient added to the large bowl.

With electric mixer, beat in bananas.

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to sugar mixture and mix well.

Mix in milk and vanilla.

Fold in nuts and then the egg whites. Mix thoroughly but do not beat.

Spread into a 9x13 pan. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. Check it at 30 minutes. Insert toothpick in center of cake to test doneness. It will be a very dark color.

Makes a very tender cake that is very good warm. Would make great muffins; using aluminum cupcake liners and reducing cooking time. It is also good served cold with banana frosting.

Banana Frosting:

½ stick of real butter, room temperature
4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
½ box of confectioners sugar
½ teaspoon real vanilla
½ very ripe mashed banana

Add ingredients in order listed and mix thoroughly before adding the next ingredient. Spread over cooled cake in pan and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Keep refrigerated. Makes 24 servings.



1 comment:

Kevin P said...

sounds good - but a bit too complex for my skill set! Hope you feel better soon - praying for you!