Fresh Banana Layer Cake Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat shortening and sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg yolks. Beat in banana on low speed until blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; add to banana mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into batter., Coat two 6-in. round baking pans with cooking spray and dust with flour. Add batter. Bake at 375° for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a small bowl, beat shortening and butter until smooth. Add 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, salt and extract; mix well. Stir in banana. Beat in enough of the remaining confectioners' sugar to achieve desired spreading consistency. Tint with food coloring if desired. , Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan (see Cook's Note) with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two longer sides. Lightly spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
• For the cake, mash the bananas in a large bowl with a fork or potato masher until very smooth. Whisk in the dark brown sugar, melted butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla until smooth and combined. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
• Fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture in thirds until just combined. Pour into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Leave the cake in the pan to cool slightly, about 30 minutes. Use the foil overhang to remove the cake from the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, beat the butter, cream cheese and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Reduce to low speed, then add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract.
• Transfer 1/2 cup of the frosting to a small bowl and stir in the dulce de leche until smooth. Cover both frostings with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature until ready to assemble the cake.
• For the candied banana chips, warm the maple syrup in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until it just starts bubbling. Add the banana chips and cook, tossing and stirring frequently with a rubber spatula, until the chips have absorbed almost all the maple syrup and are browned in spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately transfer the banana chips to a baking sheet, spread in an even layer and cool completely. Once cool, roughly chop.
• Transfer the cake to a serving platter. Spread about 3/4 cup plain cream cheese frosting all over the top of the cake.
• Dollop the dulce de leche frosting and remaining plain frosting on top, then use a small offset spatula to swirl both frostings together in a swooping design, making sure the frosting goes all the way to the edges of the cake. Top with the chopped candied banana chips.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray, and line bottoms with parchment paper.
• Place unpeeled bananas on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until blackened and juices have begun to seep out, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool, then peel and set aside in a bowl. Discard peels, but add any pan juices to the bowl.
• While bananas are roasting, spread coconut out on another rimmed baking sheet and toast in the same oven until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes, stirring once. Set aside and let cool.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix bananas (with juices) until mashed.
• At low speed, add sugars and mix to combine. Mix in eggs, one at a time, then add butter, sour cream, vanilla extract, and lime juice. Mix in flour and 1 cup toasted coconut, mixing only until just combined. (Save remaining coconut for topping cake.)
• Divide batter between prepared pans and bake, rotating halfway through, until top is golden and springs back, 40 to 55 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then unmold and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
• To prepare frosting, open can of coconut cream and scoop 1/2 cup of the solid cream off the top into a measuring cup. Remaining cream can be frozen for up to 6 months.
• In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter until soft and fluffy. Beat in softened cream cheese, one chunk at a time, until mixture is very smooth. Beat in coconut cream and sugar until smooth. Beat in extract and salt. If frosting seems too soft, refrigerate 15 to 30 minutes to help it set (not longer, or it may become too firm to spread).
• Spread a little less than half the frosting over one cake layer and sprinkle with half the reserved toasted coconut. Top with second layer, spread remaining frosting on top, and sprinkle with remaining toasted coconut, leaving sides of cake bare.

Steps:

• Make cake layers:
• Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour three 8-inch round cake pans, knocking out excess flour.
• Into a bowl sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl whisk together mashed banana, yogurt or buttermilk, and vanilla. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy and beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour and banana mixtures alternately, beginning and ending with flour mixture and stirring after each addition until just combined. (Do not overmix.)
• Divide batter evenly among pans, smoothing tops, and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, about 18 minutes total, or until layers are springy to the touch and a tester comes out clean. Cool layers in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks to cool completely. (Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.)
• Make frosting:
• Into a large bowl sift confectioners' sugar. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy and beat in vanilla and a pinch salt. Beat in confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, and beat frosting until smooth.
• Assemble cake:
• Cut 2 firm-ripe bananas diagonally into thin slices. Put a cake layer on a serving plate and spread with a thin coating of frosting. Arrange one layer of banana slices on frosting, overlapping them slightly, and top with second cake layer. Spread cake layer with another thin coating of frosting and arrange 1 more layer of banana slices in same manner, cutting and using slices from third banana if necessary. Top bananas with remaining cake layer and spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. (Cake may be made 8 hours ahead and kept in a cake keeper at cool room temperature.)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 by 2-inch round cake pan.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the bananas, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on low speed until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the oil, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest. Mix until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in the chopped walnuts, if using. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, turn out onto a cooling rack, and cool completely.
• Spread the frosting thickly on the top of the cake and decorate with walnut halves, if using.
• Mix the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed until just combined. Don't whip! Add the sugar and mix until smooth.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place directly into freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.
• For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Butter and flour three 8" round cake pans, knocking out excess flour.
• Into a bowl sift together first four ingredients.
• In a small bowl, whisk together mashed banana, yoghurt or buttermilk, and vanilla.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Stir dry ingredients and banana mixtures alternately into the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and stirring after each addition until just combined. (Do not overmix)
• Divide batter evenly among pans, smoothing tops, and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, about 18-20 minutes total, or until layers are springy to the touch and a tester comes out clean.
• Cool layers in pans on racks 10 minutes.
• Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks to cool completely.
• (Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.) Frosting: Into a large bowl, sift confectioners' sugar.
• In another large bowl and using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
• Beat in vanilla and a pinch salt.
• Beat in confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, and beat frosting until smooth.
• Cut 2-3 firm-ripe bananas diagonally into thin slices.
• Put a cake layer on a serving plate and spread with a thin coating of frosting.
• Arrange one layer of banana slices on frosting, overlapping them slightly, and top with second cake layer.
• Spread cake layer with another thin coating of frosting and arrange 1 more layer of banana slices in same manner, cutting and using slices from third banana if necessary.
• Top bananas with remaining cake layer and spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.
• (Cake may be made 8 hours ahead and kept in a cake keeper at cool room temperature.).