Salted caramel upside down banana cake!

Tweet

Pin It

  I love bananas! However, I’m particular about how I eat them, I like them yellow but, tinged with green. That way, they’re firm and sweet, but not too sweet from being over-ripened. When bananas start getting spots, it’s time to bake or make a smoothie. We had three large over ripe banana's after our children left last week. I could of thrown them out, but, after thinking about it, I decided , another recipe for over ripe banana's can't be a bad thing! I think we all end up with over ripe banana's now and then...right? Lot's of great idea's popped into my head.... I thought about doing caramelized banana cupcakes, I also thought about a breakfast smoothie with oatmeal and banana's...yum!  But, I been thinking of making a upside down pineapple cake lately(remembering a wonderful upside down pineapple cake my Mother used to make), then it hit me!! Why not combine my favorite salted caramel and a banana flavored cake? Okay! This is one of the best uses of over ripe banana's ever!



I made this cake just lightly sweet, the caramel on top was enough sugar for me!

Important things to know about baking a great and fluffy cake:

• Cream the butter and sugar first. Fluffy cake needs that pale, creamy base of fluffy butter and sugar in order for it to bake nicely with moist little air pockets. It also develops a nice crumb for the cake.
• DO not cut out the fat in a cake recipe. Originally 1 cup butter, I reduced it by half and added a banana instead. Although the banana is less fattening, it still has oils that keep the cake moist. Without any butter at all, you’ll have a dry cake.
• Mix wet and dry ingredients together separately, and then combine them together. This is why I try to group all the wet ingredients first, then add the dry mixture. When you try to mix them all together all at once, it takes longer, and you’ll overwork the flour and you’ll get this chewy/gummy cake. I can always  tell when someone makes a cake and they don't follow this simple rule. Hopefully these people read this blog and change their technique!
• For this cake, the beaten egg whites add that extra dimension of fluffiness. It also adds stability to the cake, so when you’re incorporating them into the batter,  it’s important to FOLD them into the batter with a very  large spoon, not beat them. That way you keep all the beautiful bubbles you worked so hard to beat into the egg whites.

Topping
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 T. light corn syrup
6 T. water
1/2 c. half and half
4 T. unsalted butter
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. pure vanilla

 

Cake

2 bananas
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. agave 
1 banana mashed
2 large eggs. separated
1 T. vanilla extract
1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. powdered sugar

  Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees
2. In a heavy saucepan, bring the sugar, water and corn syrup to a boil over high heat, swirling the pan (not stirring) to caramelize evenly. When the caramel reaches a dark amber color(about 3 minutes), remove from the heat and carefully add the half and half (careful the mixture will foam up).
3.  Add butter, sea salt and vanilla and whisk to combine.
4. Pour the caramel into a 9-inch cake pan. Slice the bananas on top, and set aside.
   
5. Begin the cake by creaming the butter and sugar together until you get a creamy and pale mixture. Add the agave nectar the banana and mix until incorporated.
6. Add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and milk and mix.
7. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
8. Gradually incorporate the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients.
9. Gently mix together until incorporated.
10. With the egg whites, whisk with 1 tsp icing sugar (just to stabilize it) until you get stiff peaks that point straight up when you lift the whisk. (kind of like meringue would)
    
11. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter. You don't want to punch out all of the air from the meringue by mixing.
    
12. Pour batter on top of the caramel/bananas and put in the oven for about 40 minutes. The top will get nice and brown. If it begins to get too brown, put a piece of foil over the top.
    
13.  If your cake pan is short put a large pan below to prevent the caramel from oozing out onto the oven floor.
14. Once the cake is done, take it out and let it sit for about 20 minutes. It is hard to wait, but if you flip it out right away, the caramel will just ooze everywhere and not be on your cake to put in your mouth....sad state of affairs!!
    
    
    
15. Before you turn it over, quickly run a sharp knife around the edges to loosen the cake.
16. Flip over onto a cake stand/plate.

This cake is so delicious, the sea salt spiked caramel and the soft crumb banana cake.....................

I'm gearing up for a lifetime dream trip....yes it is finally happening and I will be gone for a month! The "hubster" and I are off to Africa! We are going to Dubai  first, then on to Africa!! We are so excited! We have planned this trip multiple times, this time it is truly happening! We will have internet, so, if possible I will post some pictures along the way. My new camera , a Canon 70D is awesome...thank you Dustin for the great guidance. The pictures on this blog were all taken by the new camera, and I have already had many comments on the quality. I am EXCITED!!!!! Can't you tell!

 I have a surprise guest blogger for at least one post, and boy, I think you are going to love it! I got a sneak peak, and ....well, I can tell you YUM< YUM <YUM!!!