Banana Cake
Recipe by Nicole Thom-Arens
Serves 20
This banana cake is the perfect recipe for feeding a crowd and using up overly ripe bananas. My family eats this cake just like banana bread—plain or with a bit of butter—but you can top this with a simple cream cheese frosting, drizzle it with melted chocolate or caramel sauce, or add chocolate chips, cinnamon, or walnuts to the batter before baking. It’s delicious on its own or a blank canvas ready for whatever inspires you. Leftovers freeze beautifully.
Ingredients: 3 large eggs1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed1/4 cup neutral oil2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (reduce to 3/4 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (4 to 5 very ripe bananas)1/2 cup buttermilk1/4 cup Greek yogurt1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon baking powder2 cups all-purpose flour1 cup whole wheat flour
Instructions:1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.2. Grease the bottoms and sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish or pan. Set aside.3. Mash the bananas and set aside.4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, vanilla bean paste, and salt.5. Add the mashed bananas, buttermilk, and yogurt. Whisk to combine. Then whisk in the baking soda and baking powder until they are fully incorporated.6. Add the flours and mix with a wooden spoon until the flour is well incorporated and the batter is mostly smooth. (You may have a few small chunks of banana in the mix.)7. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top, pushing the batter to the edges of the pan.8. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. 9. Once the cake is baked, allow it to cool in the pan set on a wire cooling rack. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.