Banana Cake Recipe

My previous post touched a little bit upon cakes from scratch versus box caked mixes. Well let me talk a little bit more about that. I'm a big believer in perfecting a cake recipe from scratch. If you're going to make a large tiered cake and you want to avoid a disaster you should throw in a cake from scratch in the lower tiers somewhere. They almost never break apart or crumble.
Good scratch cakes are hard to find, I will agree. I've tried so many recipes and my poor family has had to endure some not so good recipes:) hee hee
But one that I really like and always tastes good is a banana cake that I make every so often. Try it with the coconut cream cheese recipe and I think you will enjoy the combination. It's not hard to put together but it is a longer process than using a cake mix of course. I like to bake early in the morning or late at night, especially in the summer!

Banana Cake Recipe

2 sticks of butter softened
2 cups of packed brown sugar
3 ripe bananas equal to 2 cups
3 large eggs
2 1/2 cups of cake flour plus 2 Tablespoons
6 tablespoons cornflour
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp of real banana extract (optional)

Prepare the bottom of two 9" baking pans with nonstick spray then cut a waxed paper to fit the bottom of the pan and spray again.
Heat your oven to 350 F.
Sift the cake flour, cornflour, salt and baking powder in a bowl or over a piece of waxed paper. Then using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on, cream the butter at high speed until it is light and fluffy.
Add the brown sugar and mix slowly until well incorporated.
Add the eggs one by one on slow speed, until it is well incorporated.
Add the banana extract if desired.
Add the mashed bananas on slow speed until well blended.
Slowly add the dry ingredients a little at a time, turn off the mixer if you're not adding dry ingredients or you will overmix your batter.
Stop mixing once all of the dry ingredients are folded in.
Add batter to prepared pans and bake for 30-35 or until a toothpick in the center of the cake comes out clean.
If not ready bake in 5 minute increments.
Once it's done let it cool, then loosen the sides of the cake by running a knife around the edge of the cake pan. Turn over and let it cool completely.

Goes well with coconut cream cheese filling.

For the source of the banana cake and coconut cream cheese filling click http://www.easy-cake-ideas.com