Bananas for Clementine Bakery’s Banana Cake
I am always on the look-out for recipes that use those over-ripe bananas frequently found on my countertop. I already have an amazing banana bread recipe so what I have been on the prowl for is a banana cake recipe. There are those occasions when you need to step it up a notch. When only cake will do, especially cake with a creamy luscious frosting or a rich decadent icing. Well, I have stumbled across a recipe that fits the bill.
Oh My Darling, Clementine, Love Your Banana Cake
I found it by way of a recent post on Ipso Fatto (love this blog) for a banana cake she made from Sally’s Baking Addiction. Touted as “The Best Banana Cake I’ve Ever Had”, we just had to try it. It was good but “The Best Ever?” Hmmm. It seemed a little too dense for me. I’ll admit it was a big hit with the “fam”, but I think Jamie’s tweak, a layer of chocolate ganache in the middle, had a-lot to do with that. At the end of Ipso Fatto’s post was a link to an archived recipe, Clementine Bakery’s Banana Cake (originally posted in the LA Times). I made a mental note, next bunch of over-ripe bananas I was going to try it. I did, and I LOVE this cake.
It’s really moist and tender with a very nice crumb. The addition of buttermilk gives it a slight tang that goes well with the sweetness of the bananas. It’s topped with a cream cheese frosting that is not too sweet and finished with a bit of sour cream that loosens the frosting making it even creamier. It’s decadent and lovely.
Pastry flour gives the cake its tender bite. In place of the pastry flour, I used White Lily Flour which has a similar protein content and is milled from soft red winter wheat. Every trip to Tennessee I return home with bags of White Lily Flour just to make biscuits and it worked perfectly in this cake. Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur Flour carry pastry flour which you can find online or at most supermarkets.
To say the bananas I used were over-ripe would be an understatement, they released a ton of liquid. Next time I would drain the liquid, reduce it by half and then add it back to the batter. This will hopefully thicken the batter and concentrate the flavor. If your bananas are super-duper ripe I would definitely reduce the liquid.
The cake can be baked in a 9×13 pan or a 10 inch round cake pan. I used a 10-inch pan which required a couple of extra minutes. I had enough batter left to make a couple of cheater’s cupcakes (no one will know you have already had cake) that took about 20-22 minutes to bake. The center of the cake seems to brown quicker than the rest of the cake. If this happens, when the cake is set, place a piece of parchment over the center to prevent the cake from getting too brown.
The cream cheese frosting is made with butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and sour cream. I added a dash of salt and a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla to round out the flavor. The Wednesday Chef also featured this cake with a twist on the frosting. She reduced the sugar and replaced the sour cream with creme fraiche, double decadence. I personally like the “sweet level” of the original recipe but creme fraiche, I’d give that a “swirl”.
Another variation would be a chocolate ganache frosting or chocolate icing like the one from Silver Palate in place of the cream cheese frosting.
So, the next time you have overripe bananas try this cake. It is simply delicious. Clementine Bakery’s cake is exactly what I was looking for in a banana cake; it’s a winner.
Tip Alert: Can’t wait for those bananas to get to that lovely over-ripe state? I found this post on how to ripen bananas quickly from Spoon University, Just in case you want to make this cake NOW. You’re welcome. Update: A method I just used that worked beautifully, place unpeeled banana on parchment or a silicon mat in a 300-degree oven for 10-15 minutes. Boom-manufactured overripe bananas-you’re welcome, again.
Banana Cake
Ingredients
Banana Cake
- 2 2/3 cups pastry flour
- 2 2/3 cups sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large or 4 small very ripe bananas
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese at room temperature
- 5 tablespoons butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Into a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, mash the bananas. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until each is completely incorporated, then mix in the buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Finally, mix the dry ingredients into the batter just until thoroughly combined.
- Pour into a 9-by-13-inch greased pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden-brown on top, a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool on a rack.
Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and there are no lumps. Add the butter and whip until incorporated, then add the powdered sugar and the sour cream. Frost the top of the cooled cake, then slice and serve.