Holiday Banana Cakes | chaserivers

Banana Cakes

Ingredients

Banana Cake

Note: Bananas need to be over ripened

with dark skins to create the intense banana flavor.

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 large vanilla beans

6 ounces (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter-room temp

1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3 large eggs-room temp

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups banana puree-over ripened

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Toasted walnuts

Strawberry Raspberry Sauce

1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

6 ounces fresh raspberries

1 cup seedless strawberry jam

1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Cream Cheese Buttercream

1/2 pound salted butter, room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups sifted, powdered sugar

Orange-Candied Walnuts

2 cups whole walnuts

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon orange zest

Small Christmas cookie cutters

Holiday

Directions

Banana Cake

Scrape out the vanilla beans, add to a mixing bowl with the brown and white sugars and incorporate using the tips of your fingers. Add the butter, salt & cinnamon and cream everything together. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the sour cream and banana puree. Whisk the flour and baking soda together and then mix into the wet ingredients. Fold in desired amount of chopped walnuts if using.

Butter a 11"x7" baking dish, scrape in the batter and smooth out the top. Place in center of a 350F oven and bake until a tester comes out clean. About 30 minutes. Remove and let cool completely.

Strawberry Raspberry Sauce

Whisk jam, orange juice, lemon juice and zest together until smooth. Place strawberries and raspberries in a bowl and pour sauce over the top. Gently toss to coat.

Cream Cheese Buttercream

Beat butter and cream cheese with vanilla until smooth. Gradually mix in powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.

Orange-Candied Walnuts

Place walnuts in a medium sized bowl, drizzle with butter and stir to coat. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt and mix. Spoon onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally or until toasted. Remove from oven and mix in orange zest. Let cool.

Assembly:

Cut out cakes using a 3" round cutter, and then slice horizontally into thirds. Spread or pipe cream cheese buttercream on bottom layer and top with the second layer of cake. Spread or pipe another layer of cream cheese buttercream. Cut out the top piece of cake with desired cookie cutter and press on top of cake. Serve with strawberry, raspberry sauce and candied walnuts.