Best Banana Cake from Our Community Table
One of the cookbooks that I received at my bridal shower (a long time ago) was the Spice and Spirit–The Complete Kosher Jewish Cookbook. It’s a large purple hardcover tome that I have used so often that it is in very poor condition. (I might have even set it down on a hot burner once. Yikes!)
Much of my early experimentation with cooking and baking was with recipes from that book. And, to this day, some of our favorite recipes come from its pages. It’s a very complete and comprehensive cookbook, and my use of it has been equally complete and comprehensive. One of the many recipes that became a family favorite is the recipe for Spicy Banana Bars, which we just call “Banana Cake.”
Have you ever purchased too many bananas? I have. If we don’t eat them all, we end up with some very overripe bananas. But this isn’t a problem and doesn’t have to lead to wastefulness. Peel the bananas, place them in a bag, and freeze them. Ripe bananas that have been frozen and then defrosted are great for use in banana bread, cake, and muffins.
I’ve found that people who really like banana cake consider this to be the best they’ve ever had. Honestly, I’ve lost count of how many people have raved about this recipe. And it freezes well. Often, I divide the batter between two 8” pans and make two smaller cakes instead of one 9x13” cake. (If you choose to do this, the baking time will need to be slightly reduced.) One of the finished cakes goes into the freezer for use in the future–or to be given away. It’s always a good idea to have baked goods in the freezer in case someone else could use them.
Generally, I do not use much vegetable shortening. I think there are four recipes that I make that use it. None of them are recipes that I make often. But they are such excellent recipes that I happily prepare them even though they contain an ingredient that I don’t like. Also, you could replace the non-dairy milk and margarine with dairy milk and butter if you prefer.
Deena Abraham
Community Contributor
Recipe for Best Banana Cake
Banana Cake
1 c. (2 lg.) overripe bananas
¾ c. shortening
3 eggs
3 c. flour
2 ¼ c. sugar
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. salt
2 ¼ tsp. cinnamon
¾ tsp. ground cloves
¾ c. non-dairy milk
White Frosting
3 Tbsp. hot water
3 c. confectioners’ sugar
6 Tbsp. melted margarine
Directions
Place bananas in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork.
Stir in the shortening and eggs until well mixed.
In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
Alternately add the dry ingredients and non-dairy milk to the batter.
Pour the batter into a greased 9x13” pan and bake at 350 for 40 minutes.
Combine the frosting ingredients and spread over cake while still warm.
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