Thanksgiving bake-off at the Governor’s Mansion? Try Jerry Brown’s family banana cake recipe

Bernice Brown was mother to former California Gov. Jerry Brown and his sister Kathleen Brown. While Bernice Brown died in 2002, her banana cake recipe featured in multiple Brown family Thanksgivings at the California Governor’s Mansion in the 2010s.

Twice, Kathleen Brown squared off against her brother’s wife Anne Gust Brown in a competition about who could make the best banana cake. Kathleen Brown won the first year, while she gave the edge to Anne Gust Brown in the second year.

“Hers was too dry, that was the problem and she also changed the frosting,” Kathleen Brown said.

Bernice Brown’s Banana Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

1⁄2 cup butter

1 1⁄2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1⁄2 cup sour milk (1 tsp lemon or vinegar to make sour milk)

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour

2 tsp calumet baking powder

3 ripe bananas mashed (the riper the better)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup walnuts chopped

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar together.

Add egg yolks (separate out egg whites and save for later).

Add sour milk with baking soda.

Mix.

Put baking powder in flour and mix in gently.

Add vanilla, banana and nuts.

Fold in beaten egg whites last (fold in gently, don’t over beat).

Bake in 3 greased layer cake tins at 325-350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Make the cake the day before serving.

Frosting (Bernice’s recipe)

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter

2 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

A little cream

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar.

Add egg and mix.

Add vanilla.

Add cream until frosting is the right consistency to spread.

Frosting (Cream Cheese version--thicker)

Ingredients:

1⁄2 cup butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese

4 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Beat softened butter and cream cheese until well blended.

Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until creamy.