Banana Cake

Chef

Lucinda Scala Quinn

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Cookbook

Lucinda's Authentic Jamaican Kitchen

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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This image courtesy of Joseph DeLeo

Editor's Note: You can't go wrong with dessert for breakfast! This delightful and delicious recipe for Banana Cake can be served for brunch, dessert, or even a mid-day snack. This quick and easy recipe uses many ingredients that you likely already have on hand, too. You'll especially love the decadent crumb topping that is sprinkled on top of the cake batter before it is baked. This is one cake that will taste amazing when served with a cup of just-brewed coffee or tea, and will be the perfect end to almost any meal.

A crispy brown sugar and butter topping elevates this moist and delicious cake above most ordinary recipes.

Buttermilk is the preferred liquid for this recipe, but it is equally successful with a combination of milk and plain yogurt or with milk alone.

Makes8 Servings

Cooking MethodBaking

CostInexpensive

Easy

Make Ahead RecipeYes

Kid FriendlyYes

OccasionBuffet, Family Get Together

Recipe CourseDessert, Snack

MealBreakfast, Brunch, Dinner, Tea

Taste and TextureCrisp, Fruity, Sweet

Type of DishCake, Dessert

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
½ cup butter, melted (1 stick)
½ cup buttermilk, yogurt, or milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup butter (½ stick)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Blend in the melted butter, mixing together until moist. Add ¼ cup of the buttermilk and combine.
In a separate bowl, combine the other ¼ cup of buttermilk with the eggs and blend into the flour mixture. Add the vanilla and mashed bananas. Beat for 1 minute. Place the batter in a greased 9 × 13 × 2-inch pan.
To make the topping, squeeze the flour, brown sugar, and butter together with your hands. Crumble the topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
When the cake is done, an inserted toothpick or fork should come out clean from the center.