Banana Cake - Double Icing
Another family favorite. This recipe is from one of Aunt Punky's (mom's sister Helen Sherban Abrahamowitz Burke) sisters-in-law. Auntie used a different banana cake recipe but this is the banana cake that mom and I use. The first icing (vanilla) is what makes this cake so unique. It is cooked on the stove and is not sweet. The second icing (chocolate) gives it a complex taste.
Ingredients
Cake:1/2 cup shortening like Crisco (you can use butter)
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups banana pulp
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1 cup sour milk (add 2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice to milk)
2 2/3 cups flour
salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (I use walnuts)
First Icing - Vanilla
4 Tablespoons flour
1 Cup Milk
→ using a small saucepan, add the milk slowly to flour to avoid lumps, cook on medium low heat - stirring continuously until thick. Set aside to cool completely.
In the meantime, blend:
1 cup butter - room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
→ slowly mix in the cooled mixture from the saucepan, then beat on high until fluffy.
Second Icing - Chocolate
→ use your favorite chocolate icing recipe OR
→ I cannot make a chocolate icing that is dark or "chocolate-y" enough for me so I buy a can of Chocolate Fudge Icing.
Instructions
Cake:Cream shortening/butter and sugar.
Then add eggs one at time.
Add banana pulp.
Sift all dry ingredients and blend in.
Slowly add the milk, vanilla, and (optional) nuts.
Bake at 375⁰ about 40 minutes. If using a dark pan, bake at 350⁰ about 40 minutes. Cake is heavy and moist.
Cool cake and frost with first (vanilla) icing. There are two ways to top with the chocolate icing - I always use the second way:
1. Once cake is frosted with vanilla icing, place in refrigerator to "harden" the icing. Then spread chocolate icing on top.
OR
2. I put the chocolate icing in a pastry bag (or in a plastic bag & snip a bottom corner off) and angle the bag and pipe the icing back and forth over the cake. I make a tight grid pattern. I like this method because you do not have to refrigerate the cake and it does not smear the white icing.