Pearls Banana Cake Recipes

THE BEST BANANA CAKE I'VE EVER HAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9×13 inch pan.
• Mash the bananas. I usually just use my mixer for this! Set mashed bananas aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy - about 1 minute. Add both sugars and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed together. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the eggs and the vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, then beat in the mashed bananas. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Do not overmix. The batter will be slightly thick and a few lumps is OK.
• Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top of the cake is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
• Remove the cake from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. After about 45 minutes, I usually place it in the refrigerator to speed things up.
• In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add 3 cups confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add the extra 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar (I add it). Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. This helps sets the frosting and makes cutting easier.
• Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

THE BEST BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan.
• Place 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice in a measuring cup. Top to 1 ½ cups with milk. Set aside.
• Mix together mashed banana with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, set aside.
• Beat together butter, brown and white sugar until combined. Add in eggs one at a time and vanilla. Mix on high until light and fluffy (almost the texture of frosting).
• Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to egg mixture stirring just until combined. (Do not overmix). Fold in bananas. Pour into prepared pan.
• Put into the oven and reduce heat to 300°F. Bake 60 - 70 minutes (see note below) or just until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (do not over bake).
• Remove from oven and place in the freezer for 45 minutes to make the cake extra moist. Cool completely before frosting.

PEARL'S BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 (9-inch) round cake pans and line bottom of each with a round of parchment or wax paper. Butter paper, then dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.
• Whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour mixture, mixing until blended. Add milk and mix until just combined, then add remaining flour mixture, mixing just until batter is smooth.
• Divide batter evenly between cake pans, smoothing tops. Bake in middle of oven until cake is springy to the touch and a tester inserted in center of each cake layer comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes, then invert onto racks, remove paper, and cool completely.
• Peel bananas and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices, then lightly brush with lemon juice (to prevent discoloring).
• Beat cream with superfine sugar and vanilla in a bowl with cleaned beaters at medium speed until it just holds stiff peaks.
• Put 1 cake layer on a cake plate and spread with 3/4 cup whipped cream. Top with 1 layer of banana slices arranged side by side. Arrange second cake layer over bananas and spread remaining cream over top and sides of cake. Arrange remaining bananas, overlapping slightly, on top of cake.

BANANA PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Peel and core pear. Mash the pear and bananas together. Stir in vanilla, rum and buttermilk. Set aside.
• Whisk flours, salt, baking soda together in a bowl and set aside.
• Cream butter and sugars together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low. Beat in half the flour mixture until just incorporated, followed by one-third of the banana mixture, continue to alternate until all ingredients are incorporated and the batter looks thick and chunky. Be careful not to over mix.
• Pour the batter into a prepared 9 inch springform pan. Top with chopped pecans.
• Bake for 35 - 45 minutes.