Cake With Bananas On Top

In the winter, we frequently look to the tropics for our fruit fix. Bananas are the most popular fruit in America, and they're popular all over the world. I'm content with oranges, grapefruits, and chocolate but every now and then it's nice to mix things up, and I'll grab a pineapple, some kiwifruits, a few avocados, or a bunch of bananas when I go grocery shopping.

While I was waiting for my yellow bananas to ripen, I came across these red bananas at the market a few days later. I adore red bananas, which have a stronger flavor than yellow bananas but are difficult to find in France and elsewhere. So I grabbed the bunch as soon as I saw it, and placed them in my fruit bowl to see who would ripen first.

XEM THÊM :

Dàn đề 6 số | Hướng dẫn cách lập dàn đề 6 số chuẩn nhất

Speaking of differences, I have a low-fat Banana Chocolate Chip Upside Down Cake on the site, but I wanted to do a skillet version. I also wanted to experiment with cereal grains, a whole grain flour that I've been curious about. It's popular in African cooking because it seems to thrive in harsh conditions but it also adds a nutty flavor to baked goods. So, while I was at the natural food store getting organic yellow bananas, I also got a bag of cereal grains flour.

I arranged ripe bananas in the pan after browning the butter and brown sugar in my skillet, mixed the batter, and baked this cake. When I turned it out and cut myself a warm slice of cake, I discovered that the teff added a pleasant, nutty flavor to the cake, though it did make the batter a bit heavier and add some "fullness," which I didn't mind. I also added a pinch of ground cinnamon for a hint of spice, but you could use more. If you have a French partner, you must reduce the amount of cinnamon you normally use when baking to avoid the "Trop de cannelle," when you ask for it.

Despite the small amount of cinnamon I added, this cake was a big hit. It was a welcome winter break and a welcome addition to my fruit dessert knowledge base. But I'd be proud to serve one of these upside down cakes any time of year.

Cake With Bananas On Top

I used cereal grains flour to make this cake. It's available at most natural foods stores and online, but I've included measurements for using all-purpose flour instead. If you do, you may want to reduce the salt in the batter to 1/2 teaspoon. To my taste, the tougher flavor of whole grains necessitates a little more salt. You can substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla seeds or paste for the vanilla bean.

Ripe bananas should be firm but not mushy. They'll become sweeter in the caramel. If you don't want to use rum, you can substitute fresh lime juice or leave it out entirely. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, a standard 9-inch (23cm) cake pan will suffice. In a regular skillet or pan, make the brown sugar topping, then pour it into a cake pan while it's still warm. Place the vanilla bean and bananas on top.

Servings

For the banana garnish

4 tbsp (55g) salted or unsalted butter

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar (110g)

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped of seeds

1 teaspoon rum

4-5 medium bananas (approximately 1 1/4 pounds, 565g)

Regarding the cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (210g) or 1 cup all-purpose flour (140g) plus 6 tablespoons (55g) cereal grains flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, preferably without aluminum

14 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

8 tablespoons (4 ounces, 115g) room temperature unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g)

2 large room-temperature eggs

1/2 cup (125ml) room temperature whole or low fat milk

a tsp vanilla extract

For the garnish

To make the topping, melt the 4 tablespoons (55g) butter, brown sugar, and vanilla bean seeds in a 10-inch (25cm) cast iron skillet over medium heat. (If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt.) Stir until the butter and sugar are liquified and begin to bubble. Remove from the heat and add the rum. To the skillet, add the split vanilla bean.
Peel the bananas and cut them in half lengthwise, then into thirds, and arrange them in the skillet over the brown sugar topping. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).

Regarding the cake

In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Beat the butter and granulated sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or by hand in a medium bowl using a sturdy spatula, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, stopping the mixer and scraping down the sides between additions.
Mix in half of the dry ingredients, then the milk and vanilla, then the rest of the dry ingredients, only mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cake feels done when pressed in the center, after scraping the batter over the bananas in the skillet. If you insert a toothpick into the center, it should come out relatively clean.
Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes after removing it from the oven. Wearing oven mitts and taking care to avoid drips from hot caramel, run a knife around the outside of the cake to help it release from the pan, and turn it out onto a serving platter or cooling rack. Any remaining caramel bits in the pan can be spooned back over the warm cake.