Banana Cake Tested Recipe

Joy Of Baking

Banana Cake Tested Recipe & Video

I like to bake with bananas as they make things so flavorful and moist. A good example is this Banana Cake, which has the delicate sweetness of mashed bananas with a texture that is wonderfully soft and moist. While quite tasty on its own, I love to cover it with a creamy smooth Chocolate Fudge Frosting. Perfect as a weekday dessert.

This Banana Cake is a delicious recipe I adapted from The Joy of Cooking. Instead of the more common 'creaming' method where the butter and sugar are creamed together and then you beat in the eggs, flour, and liquid, this recipe uses what we call the 'one bowl' or 'quick method'. This method entails first blending all the wet ingredients (bananas, sour cream, vanilla extract, and eggs) together. Then, in your electric mixer, all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, leavening, salt, and ground cinnamon) are mixed together. Next, the butter, along with part of the wet ingredients, are beaten into the dry ingredients. This batter needs to be beaten for about 90 seconds (to develop the cake's structure) and then the remaining banana mixture is added. While this method may be a little unusual, it reduces gluten formation which results in a cake that literally melts-in-your-mouth with a velvety texture that is moist and dense. Just make sure to have all the ingredients at room temperature and to follow the instructions on mixing. I baked this cake in a 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pan, but you could bake it in a bundt pan with excellent results. This cake can be stored for several days at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Since bananas go so well with chocolate, I chose to cover this cake with a chocolate fudge frosting. This recipe is one I adapted from the cookbook Chocolate Bar by Matt Lewis and Alison Nelson, who run a chocolate boutique in New York that they call a "candy store for grown-ups". It is the type of chocolate frosting my mother always used to cover cakes. Made with butter, confectioners (icing or powdered) sugar, vanilla extract and unsweetened chocolate, it is perfect for covering cakes and cupcakes. It uses unsweetened chocolate which is also known as baking, plain or bitter chocolate. This is chocolate in its rawest form. Chocolate liquor that has been refined and contains 50-55% cocoa butter. Since no sugar has been added to the chocolate it has a strong, bitter taste that is used in cooking and baking but is never eaten out of hand. When used in this frosting it imparts a deep chocolate flavor.

Banana Cake:

2 large ripe bananas

1/3 cup (80 ml) sour cream, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar

2 cups (230 grams) cake flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

10 tablespoons (140 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

3 ounces (90 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (120 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Banana Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in the center of the oven. Butter and flour, or spray with a non stick vegetable/flour spray, a 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pan.

In the bowl of your food processor, place the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Process just until blended and smooth. Add the eggs and process until combined.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, (or with an electric hand mixer) combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Add the softened butter, along with half the banana mixture, and beat on low speed just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium (on high if using a hand mixer) and beat the batter for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the remaining banana mixture in two additions, beating well after each addition. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top, and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pan. When completely cooled, frost with the Chocolate Fudge Frosting.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting: Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water (or in the microwave). Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the melted chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and creamy and of spreading consistency (about 2 -3 minutes). Frost the top and sides of the cake. Can garnish with dried banana chips. Can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator for several days.

Makes one - 9 inch (23 cm) cake.

source: youtube

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Great Grandma Miller's Homemade Mincemeat

Homemade Mincemeat

Ingredients:

2 pounds venison, elk, or beef chunks
Water
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
6 whole cloves
6 whole allspice
1 large bay leaf
1/2 pound suet, finely chopped*
3 quarts apple cider
2 cups beef broth
3 pounds apples, chopped
3 pounds raisins (dark and golden)
2 pounds currants
1/2 pound citron
1 tablespoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 firmly-packed cup brown sugar
2 cups rum or Applejack brandy

* 1/4 to 1/4 pound butter may be ubstituted.

Preparation:

Trim fat from meat of your choice.

In a large heavy pan over medium heat, place meat; cover with water. Add cider vinegar, whole cloves, allspice, and bay leaf. Simmer approximately 2 hours or until the meat is tender and falls apart. Remove from heat and refrigerate meat in cooking liquid overnight.

Remove from refrigerator and remove meat from liquid. Remove all fat from top of liquid; discarding the liquid. Separate meat from bones, discard bones. Chop cooked meat into small cubes.

In a large pot, combine meat cubes, suet, apple cider, beef broth, apples, raisins, currants, citron, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and brown sugar. Over medium heat, let mixture come just to a low boil; reduce heat to low and let simmer until the apples are cooked. Remove from heat and add rum or Applejack brandy and mix together.

Variation: For a wonderful flavor boost, zest and juice 2 to 3 lemons and 2 orange. Add to mince before bringing to a boil.

Refrigerate or pack in hot sterile jars and seal. May also be stored in the freezer.



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Mince Meat Pie Recipe

This has been my favorite holiday pie since I was a little girl. My mother used to make this pie just for me every Thanksgiving. Thanks Mom!

Mince Meat Pie / Old-Fashioned Mincemeat Pie

Ingredients:

Pastry for 9-inch two crust pie*

1 quart prepared mincemeat**

Brandy to taste

* Check out my different recipes for making the perfect pie crust.

** 1 (28-ounce) jar prepared mincemeat pie filling may be substituted, but check out my Homemade Mincemeat Recipes.

Preparation:

 homemade mincemeat Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare pie pastry.

Spoon prepared mincemeat into pastry-lined plate. Add additional brandy to your taste. Cover with remaining pastry and flute. Cut slits in pastry so steam can escape. Cover edge with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning.

Bake pie 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Remove aluminum foil during last 15 minutes of baking. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack before cutting and serving.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

NOTE:  This pie stores well in the freezer.

Makes 8 servings.

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Lemon Icebox Pie Recipe

Lemon Icebox Pie

3 egg whites 
dash cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
1 baked & cooled 9-inch pie shell or Graham cracker crust 

Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until frothy, slowly adding sugar until soft peaks form. Still whipping, slowly add the lemon juice, then the peel. The mixture will deflate a bit as you do this: don't worry!

In a separate bowl, whip the cream. Fold it into the lemon mixture and spoon it into the prepared pie shell. Freeze at least 3 hours or up to 3 days.

Remove from freezer about an hour before serving. Slices should be cold but not frozen solid.

The pie is safe with not cooking the eggs as the citrus from the eggs cooks them.

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