Banana Cake

Use this recipe for a moist, delicious banana cake or banana bread.  This will make one bundt cake or 4 mini loaves of banana bread. 

1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons), room temperature
1 1/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
4 well ripened bananas (preferably with black spotted peel), roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped dates OR chocolate chips (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
3/4 cup yogurt (or sour cream)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350F.   Grease a bundt cake pan with oil or butter, then dust the pan with flour.  Set aside. (Alternately, prepare 4 mini loaf pans, muffin pan or cake pan.) 

Beat together the butter and sugar, until well combined.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.  Stir in the bananas, dates and walnuts, and yogurt.

In another bowl stir together until well combined the flour, baking soda and salt. 

Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until well combined.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes.  Remove from oven, slightly cool then remove from pan and place on a cooling rack.

Carrot Cake

Variation on All Recipe.com's Carrot Cake, based on ingredients in my pantry/fridge and slight variation of method... Makes one 9X13 pan (about 20 pieces)

3/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
3 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1/4-1/2 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup chopped dates
3-4 large carrots, grated
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 to 2 cups crushed pineapple (I added 8 ounces, and up to 16 ounces with no problems)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease and flour a 9X13" pan.

In a bowl combine milk and vinegar.  Allow the milk to curdle (it will take just a minute).  Beat the eggs in a small bowl then add to milk mixture along with vanilla, oil and sugar.  Stir until just combined.  Add carrots, coconut, walnuts and pineapple.

In another bowl thoroughly mix together: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, raisins, dates.  When well combined, add to the milk mixture and stir until just combined. 

Transfer to 9X13 inch pan. 

Bake at 350 for about 60-70 minutes.

Frosting: Bring about 6 ounces of cream cheese to room temperature.  Beat until fluffy, then stir in about a 1/2 cup powdered sugar (or, to desired sweetness).  Spread over cooled carrot cake.

Crazy Chocolate Cake

A childhood favorite passed on from my grandmother.

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup oil
2 cups warm water

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13" pan.

In a bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. Pour into 9x13" pan. Make three wells in the mixture. In the first well put the vinegar, in the second well, the vanilla, in the third well, the oil. Pour the warm water over this and mix together with a fork just until combined. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Frosting Option 1

2 sticks of softened butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3-3/4 cup milk

Cream the butter and vanilla (beat until fluffy) with a hand mixer. Adding one cup at a time, beat in the powdered sugar and cocoa. Stir in enough milk to make the frosting the right consistency, spread over cake.

Frosting Option 2

Sift together a couple cups of powdered sugar and 1/3 cup cocoa (or, to taste). Whisk in enough milk (tablespoon by tablespoon) to make a creamy frosting. Spread over cooled cake.