Fun Cooking with Mary : Cajun Banana Bread Cake!

A beautiful Banana Cake Project for my finals!

This beautiful banana bread/cake, is so delicious! I had to give it a special name simply because it comes from my southern roots. My father brought me a few cookbooks when he went to visit Louisiana, his home state. He took pride in presenting some real home bonded recipes. Knowing my father he would thoroughly read titles, authors, how the book appeared, and where they came from. Nowadays anyone can purchase cookbooks on line. But when you are able to go somewhere to browse, making it a special trip, that in itself just makes it all the more special. This particular recipe comes from one the special cookbooks, he bought for me and I want to share this recipe.

I'm sure many of the recipes reminded him of what he had grown up on and around, as well as peeking his curiosity. For example, he would share stories of how he would spear the turtles in the family's pond and how he would prepare them. One of the cookbooks he purchased had recipes' using possums, doves, squirrels, etc. I'm sure he had something to do with these particular creatures. As he would share how they ate a lot of unusual animals.

Still one of the recipes, became my favorite since I love bananas. And this one is delicious and moist. The cake recipe is so moist that one of my culinary instructors requested the recipe. How can I refuse and not share? I almost felt like a special student for that moment. I used it for the finals in our group, but somehow it didn't turn out so well. Although my chef instructor did say that my paperwork was great. Go figure!! Surprise I can bake a cake!!

From the Cajun country I would like to present probably one of the most heavenly banana cakes ever, rich in flavors and revised with creativity, as though it needs it. (Not really). I call it a bread cake because it could be either one. When baking this heavenly Cajun Banana Bread Cake, you will want more. So be careful because it has lots of butter and sugar which makes it quite moist! Enjoy!!

Cajun Banana Bread Cake!

Cajun Banana Bread/Cake

Mise-en-place for recipe ingredients:

Butter, 1 and 3/4 cups, softened at room temperature

Sugar, 2 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Eggs, 2 whole

Salt, 1/4 teaspoon

Baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon

Buttermilk, 6 tablespoons, or if using sour cream or plain yogurt lighten with milk

Bananas, very ripe!!! 1 cup, mashed

Flour, 3 cups

Nuts, 2 cups, chopped

Preheat the oven at 325 degrees. Cream sugar with butter in a stand mixer, or a hand mixer. Add eggs, mixing well. Meanwhile, add salt and baking soda to milk. Mix well and add to creamed mixture, alternating with flour, mixing well after each addition. Add bananas and nuts, gently blending. Pour batter into a oiled and floured bundt or a tube pan that has parchment in it. Make sure parchment is lightly sprayed with spray oil, or oiled before pouring in the batter. You don't have to flour the pans if using parchment. Bake cakes for 1 1/4 hours.

This is a quick bread, delicious, and just amazing!! Serve with Fruit, Vanilla ice cream or sherbet, hot fudge, or Chantilly cream, or all of it. Don't forget the nuts and maraschino cherry!! Makes a great cake for any celebration!!