Baking From My Home To Yours Copyright 2006
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
About 4 very ripe bananas, mashed (should have 1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups)
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt I used sour cream
Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 9- to 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan. Don’t place the pan on a baking sheet – you want the oven’s heat to circulate through the Bundt’s inner tube.
Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together.
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each egg goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the bananas. Finally, mix in half the dry ingredients (don’t be disturbed when the batter curdles), all the sour cream and then the rest of the flour mixture. Scrape the batter into the pan rap the pan on the counter to de-bubble the batter and smooth the top.
Bake for 65 to 75 minutes , or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean (mine was done in about 55 minutes). Check the cake after about 30 minutes – if it is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil tent. Transfer the cake to a rack to cool for 10 minutes before unmolding onto the rack to cool to room temperature.
Makes 14 servings.
Oops! I uploaded the wrong picture. There's nothing wrong with your eyes - that picture is sort of faded. I wish this were a better picture but this is a case where the greatness of a recipe doesn't translate to a photograph.
I finally got myself a copy of this book, after just about every other food blogger in the land. It definitely has star quality as far as cookbooks go. I was attracted to almost every recipe. This one attracted me by it's sheer simplicity. It's definitely a very good banana cake recipe although I will probably still go to my stand-by banana cake recipe when I want a cream cheese frosting since I think this recipe is too heavy for a frosting like that. This is more of a banana pound cake. It's very dense and moist with crispy edges. There was a suggestion of a glaze for this cake but I think it's just perfect on it's own.
On Thursday evening I bought a bunch of 'clearance' bananas for about 25 cents, specifically for this recipe. I didn't use them until Sunday and when I peeled them, the bananas were still in perfect eating condition, despite the black skins. Bizarre.
We never got hit by the big nor'easter this weekend. Just rain Sunday - Saturday was actually quite nice. Once again, the weather people got it wrong. I know everyone wasn't so lucky.
Blast From The Past: Crumb-Coated Dijon Chicken from September 2006. This is what we're having tonight. I can't wait.
Question of the Day: Do you like pound cakes plain or glazed (or maybe not at all)?
9 comments:
Glazed. Why turn down extra sugar : )
Enjoying Holly Clegg, by the way!
OMG, great minds think alike. You and I are on the same wavelength a lot when it comes to cooking/baking. I made a cream cheese pound cake yesterday. I NEVER make them, but I bought a new bundt pan on Saturday and I just had to try it out. There is a long discussion thread on Egullet re: Dorie's book. Dorie herself is a frequent contributor to the thread. I can point you there if you're interested. You can see the other things ppl have made and liked.
I don't eat much cake, but when I make a bundt cake/pound cake for something I like the presentation of a glaze. Not a sticky, wet, icky glaze but something that drizzles thick and dries somewhat. I also like to sprinkle a few sliced almonds or something to stick in the glaze 'cause it looks so purty LOL.
I remember years ago attending a baking class and we made candied orange zest. The instructer said "It tastes like s$*t but they look so pretty on a cake" ROFLMAO.
I don't really make pound cakes. The only part of it that I really like is the crusy outside part. I guess I like a lemony glaze but that's it. Anyone want the inside of my cake?
My neighbor makes a yummy poppy seed pound cake but usually, I find pound cakes too rich (and maybe just the name "pound" cake makes me think it's more fattening!) I absolutely LOVE the stand-by Banana Cake. It is so good even without the frosting.
If I had a pound cake, I think I would like a thin glaze on it. But usually I prefer cakes with little to no icing.
I LOL'd at Dances' baking instructor and the lemon zest comment! LOLOLOL
You know me, I'd love it either way. I'm SOOO easy to please when it comes to food. Oh, my gosh - the candied orange zest. LOL!!!
Jan
Yes! Another one succombs to Dorie's charms!
I like them both ways-depends on my mood. Right now I'd go for the glazed because the weather is horrible and I'm trying to appease myself.
We did get hit with the nor'easter in RI. A lot of flooding, power outages and trees down. I can't wait for the REAL spring!
I think I'm going to try this today. I need to use the bananas I have here.
sandy
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