The Mailbox: Banana praline spice layer cake
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Banana praline spice layer cake
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves 12
Katherine Gibler of Vancouver, Wash., was looking for banana dessert recipes. Last week we featured a banana swirled ice cream with banana bread, dates and walnut dessert for Gibler. This week’s banana dessert is a cake with praline filling and whipped cream frosting and is credited to Susan Wittan of Rockville, Md.
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 eggs
21/4 cups all-purpose flour
21/2 teaspoons baking powder
11/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
11/2 teaspoons vanilla
Topping:
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
11/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 firm ripe medium bananas, thinly sliced
Frosting:
2 cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. In large bowl, combine sugar, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and 3/4 cup butter; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup, level off. Add flour and remaining cake ingredients; beat 2 minutes at medium speed or until smooth. Pour into greased and floured pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes or until cakes spring back when touched lightly in center.
While cake is baking, prepare topping. In small bowl, combine brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, melted butter and vanilla; blend well. In another small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture with pecans; stir to coat. Set aside. Stir water and lemon juice into remaining brown sugar mixture.
Remove cakes from oven. Set oven to broil. Arrange bananas over cake layers. Pour and spread brown sugar mixture evenly over bananas, making sure all bananas are coated. Place 1 cake at a time on ungreased cookie sheet. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat for 30 to 90 seconds, or until topping is bubbly. Cool cakes 15 minutes. Remove from pans; place, banana side up, on wire cooling racks. Cool 30 minutes, or until completely cooled.
Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheet. Place sugar-coated pecans in single layer on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes, or until pecans are slightly toasted and sugar coating begins to harden. Cool 10 minutes, or until completely cooled.
In large bowl, combine all frosting ingredients. Beat until stiff peaks form.
To assemble cake, place 1 layer, banana side up, on serving plate; top with half of the frosting. Sprinkle with half of the coated pecans. Top with remaining cake layer, banana side up, Pipe or spoon remaining frosting over bananas. Garnish with remaining coated pecans. Store in refrigerator.
Per serving: 710 calories; 7 g pro.; 71 g carb.; 44 g fat (24 g sat.); 165 mg chol.; 430 mg sodium; 2 g fiber; 55% of calories from fat.
This story was originally published March 24, 2015 at 5:00 PM with the headline "The Mailbox: Banana praline spice layer cake."