Old Fashioned Banana Spice Cake Recipes

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 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:

• In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, oil and vanilla. Beat into dry ingredients just until combined (batter will be thick). Stir in pineapple. Fold in the bananas, cherries and walnuts. , Transfer to a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the first eight ingredients; cook and stir over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; cool. , In a large bowl, beat egg yolks; gradually stir in spice mixture. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually add to spice mixture until blended. Stir in pecans. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into the batter. , Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 325° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add vanilla and salt. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. To decorate, spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake, leaving cake slightly exposed on the sides. If desired, top with pecans, cinnamon sticks, fresh bay leaves, fresh rosemary sprigs and confectioners' sugar. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and lightly flour the sides and bottoms of two 8" round cake pans; knock out excess flour.
• Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl for at least 10 minutes, or until very light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, mashed banana, and vanilla. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and spices together onto a piece of waxed paper. Stir into the banana mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
• Spoon into the prepared pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool for 10 minutes. Unmold onto the racks and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: in a small, heavy saucepan, heat the milk until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Meanwhile, beat the sugar and egg yolks together in a small bowl. Beat in the flour and salt. Gradually beat in the hot milk.
• Return to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken and comes to a simmer. Lower the heat to low and continue stirring for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and beat in the butter and vanilla. Pour into a bowl, cover with a piece of plastic wrap pressed onto the surface of the custard, let cool slightly, and refrigerate.
• To assemble the cake: Split each cake layer in half. If the custard is too thick to spread, thin it with a little cream. Spread 1/3 of the filling and arrange 1/3 of the banana slices evenly on 3 of the layers. Stack the layers and top with the fourth layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
• Just before serving, make the topping: in a deep bowl, whip the cream until very soft peaks form. Beat in the sugar and vanilla. Spread the whipped cream frosting over the top of the cake, allowing some to drip down the sides.