Bananas About Coffeecake

Continuing with my ripe bananas this week I would like to introduce you to another fun and creative banana recipe. This one has a few more steps then the last. I use to love going to the New Jersey bakeries with my great grandmother. We would always split a slice of coffeecake for a little morning sweet. They where always made with a rich, moist sponge. The topping was crisp and flavorful. Depending on the time of year the places would offer different types of fruit, fillings, and even frosting.

 I focused more on getting the moisture right in this cake. The sponge bounces back nicely, perfect for serving warm.

Recipe

Butter, softened               4 ounces

Sugar                               1 ¼ cup

Eggs                                 2 each (Use 1 banana for each egg)

Vanilla                             ½ tsp

All Purpose Flour            2 cups

Baking Powder                1 tablespoon

Salt                                   1 teaspoon

Buttermilk                       1 ½ cups (whole milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice to create your own)

Bananas, chopped            4 each

1. Cream together butter and sugar, in a mixer with paddle attachment, until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs or bananas on at a time, scrape in between each addition, until fully blended. Will look a little broken and chunky.
3. Sift dry ingredients set aside.
4. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla
5. Alternate dry and wet. Start with ½ dry until just incorporated, scrape bowl. Add wet slowly until just incorporated, scrape. Finish with rest of dry, scrape, fully incorporate.
6. Fold in chopped up bananas

You can just use eggs in this cake if you would like a lighter banana flavor. 

Streusel Topping

Coconut sugar (any brown sugar)    2 cups

All Purpose Flour                             2 cups

Butter, softened                                4 ounces

Baking Powder                                 1 teaspoon

Nuts, if desired                                 ¼ cup

• Sift together dry ingredients, cut in butter until mealy. Set aside, use as topping on cake. 

Soak

Butter, melted                                ½ ounce

Evaporated milk                             1 can

Sugar                                             ½ cup

Vanilla                                           ½ tsp

• Heat all ingredients in a pan until sugar is dissolved. Do just before cake is done.

Assemble the Cake

1. Pour batter in sprayed 9” X 13” glass baking dish. Top with streusel
2. Bake at 375°F for 30-40 minutes, until done in the center.
3. While the cake is still hot take warm soak and pour over cake. Do this slowly, not to spill. Will look like a lot but I will soak in as it cools.
4. Wait until fully cooled before cutting. Serve chilled or heat 10 seconds in microwave to re-heat. 

Printable Coffeecake Recipe

If so desired, you can add other fruits or swirl with fillings. After preparing the batter, pour into pan, top with fruit before topping with streusel. As the cake bakes the fruit will drop into the center of the mix. If you have really juicy fruit toss with some flour to prevent color bleeding.

How do you like your coffeecake? I feel like this best part of this recipe is the soak. It gives it this sweet caramelized flavor throughout. Nothing like grabbing a cup of coffee in the morning and sitting down with this amazing breakfast cake.