Amazingly Delightful Banana Cake w/ Vanilla Bean Frosting

Forget banana bread, this cake is awesome!  It is a fabulous way to use up those last two overly ripe bananas that are laying around.  Slightly tweaked from ButterYum's recipe, this one is a keeper!

Banana Cake (yields 1 8x8 cake):

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 c. spent grain flour

2/3 c. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

 

1/2 c. sour cream

1 egg

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

2 mashed super ripe bananas

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 

Vanilla Bean Icing (yields approx 1/2 c.):

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

2-4 tbsp. milk*

1 vanilla bean**

1 c. powdered sugar*

 

*Add more milk or powdered sugar to adjust the consistency of the icing

**Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds to use in the frosting...discard the shell

 

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Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease and flour a glass 8x8 pan.  Set aside.

 

In a large bowl, mix together flours, salt and baking soda. 

 

In a smaller bowl, cream together sugar, sour cream, egg, and butter. Add mashed bananas and vanilla extract and mix well.

 

Add banana sugar mixture to the dry flour mixture.  Mix just until all is moistened.  Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 

Cool completely before icing.

 

To make icing:

In a small bowl, cream butter, 2 tbsp. of milk and the seeds of the split vanilla bean.  Add powdered sugar and continue mixing till fully incorporated.  Add more milk or powdered sugar until the icing reaches your desired consistency.

 

Enjoy!

 

Churro Cake Bites

The other day, my daughter checked out a cake bites cookbook from the library.  She was drooling by the time she even got halfway through it.  I promised her that we would make something and her first pick was the churro cake bites.  So the recipe in the book, 101 Gourmet Cake Bites, all of the recipes call for boxed cake mix.  I'm not a fan of boxed cakes, but it gave me the inspiration that I needed to do the 'Churro' cake.  I found a cake recipe made from scratch in which I could adapt to include spent grain and some cinnamon.

These by the way were a HUGE hit with the family and with those lucky enough to snag one while out for sample at Wilmington Homebrew Supply.

You are going to love these!

 

Churro Cake Bites (yields 3-4 dozen)

Cake:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. spent grain flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 c. shortening
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting:
8 tbsp. butter, softened
3 c. powdered sugar
3-4 tbsp. half and half
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

Coating:
1 pkg. white chocolate bark
cinnamon sugar

Okay, first we need to make and bake the cake. 

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Prepare 2 round cake pans or one sheet pan with shortening and dust with flour.

In a large bowl, mix together the dry flours, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder.  Using a pastry cutter or with your hands, work the shortening in until the mix resembles course sand.  Add the eggs, milk and vanilla extract and mix to combine. 

Pour into prepared cake pan(s).  Cook in 350F oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

When cakes are done, set them on a wire rack to cool.  After 10 minutes, remove the cakes from the pan(s) and let cool completely on a wire rack.

After the cake is completely cooled, crumble the cake into small pieces in a large bowl.


To make the frosting:  Beat butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.  Add 3 tablespoons of half & half, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar.  Beat on low speed until the frosting begins to develop.  Then increase the speed to make it nice and creamy.  If necessary, add more half & half or powdered sugar to get it to the right consistency.

Now, take the frosting and dump it into the bowl with the crumbled cake.  Mix with the back of a spoon until a thick dough consistency forms.  Shape into equally sized balls, about 2 tablespoons.  Set formed balls onto a plate covered with wax paper and put in the freezer for about 20 minutes. 

Melt the chocolate bark either in a microwave or using a double boiler.  Take chilled cake bites and dip into the melted chocolate using two forks.  Allow for some of the excess chocolate to drip off back into the bowl of melted chocolate.  Placed the freshly coated cake bite onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  Sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar.  Repeat this process for all of the bites. 

Enjoy!