To Die For Banana Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting (and a cake tip)

There was a time when I used to reserve overripe bananas to make banana bread, that is, until I sampled this banana cake.  Now I find myself buying extra bananas just so I'll have an excuse to make this amazing cake.  The batter can be mixed, baked, cooled, and ready to frost in about an hour.  The recipe was given to me by a friend a number of years ago and I added my own delectable frosting to compliment it perfectly - it's a flavor marriage made in heaven!  It's simply out of this world and you simply must give it a try.  

Note:  the photo above is a little deceiving - this is a "snack cake", meaning it's only about an inch tall, but I promise, the flavor will more than win you over.  Also, don't miss my tips below to ensure your cake bakes without a big hump in the middle and releases from the pan perfectly.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• high quality pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3sSAaBM

• high quality pure vanilla bean paste https://amzn.to/3TU3RhT

• baker's joy https://amzn.to/3NsVGH3

• professional rectangular pan https://amzn.to/3T0TZBI

• professional square pan https://amzn.to/3SZNFdQ

• insulated baking strips https://amzn.to/3SFoUUY

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To Die For Banana Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting

makes one 8x8-inch pan (double recipe for a 9x13-inch pan)

Printable Recipe  

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2/3 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup sour cream (or greek yogurt)

• 1 large egg

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• 3/4 cup mashed super ripe banana (about 2)

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (please use the good stuff - this one is my favorite)

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• 1 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste (I like this one)

Directions

To make cake (is easily mixed by hand):

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (see note below).

2. Cream together sugar, sour cream, egg, and 2 tablespoons softened butter.

3. Add mashed bananas and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

4. Add flour, salt, and baking soda; mix well.

5. Pour into an 8x8-inch pan that has been sprayed with this baking spray.

6. Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting:

1. Cream butter and confectioner's sugar together until smooth.

2. Slowly add the heavy cream and vanilla bean paste; stir until smooth.

3. Spread on top of cooled cake. Cake can be served at room temperature, but we like it best chilled.

Note

• Vanilla bean paste is awesome stuff - you can find it at gourmet groceries or you can order it online. Here's the general rule for substituting vanilla: 1 vanilla bean = 1 tablespoon vanilla powder = 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste = 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract.

• Bake at 350F if using a glass pan.

IMPORTANT TIPS

• To ensure the cake bakes without a hump, wrap the cake pan with insulated baking strips. I wouldn't dream of baking a cake without them!

• To ensure the cake releases from the pan perfectly, spray the pan with Baker's Joy. Again, I don't bake without it!

See how nice and even the insulated baking strips made the cake? No hump!! Happy-Happy.

See how perfectly the Baker's Joy helped the cake release from the pan? Again, Happy-happy! Glad I could share a couple of awesome tricks with you. Happy Baking!

Amaretto Apple Streusel Muffins

(excuse the hand sneaking a muffin in the background - hungry teenagers in the house)

Every now and then you come across a recipe and know immediately that you're going to love it - that's exactly what happened when I came across this one.  After a quick confirmation of ingredients, I found myself heading into the kitchen to preheat the oven.

I was so quick to bake a batch that I didn't realize until now that the recipe originates from Cooking Light Magazine.  I'm also just realizing the magazine refers to these as "cupcakes", but chopped apples, a streusel crumb topping, and glaze drizzled over the top screams "muffins" to me.  Whatever you end up calling them, these babies are extremely moist and jam-packed full of apple and almond flavor - it's hard to believe they're only 256 calories.  Enjoy!

Amaretto Apple Streusel Muffins

makes 12 muffins

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Streusel Topping:

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons butter, chilled

• 2 tablespoons sliced or finely chopped almonds

Muffins:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (by weight:  7.5 ounces or 216 grams)

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 2 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• 2 tablespoons amaretto (almond liqueur)

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

• 1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk

• 3/4 cup finely chopped Gala apple

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Glaze:

• 1 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar, icing sugar)

• 4 teaspoons 2% reduced-fat milk

Directions

To make the streusel topping:

1. In a small bowl, combine ingredients together with your fingers until you have a bowl full of medium-large clumps (don't worry about breaking the almonds); refrigerate until needed.

To make muffins:

1. Place rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350F.

2. Line muffin pan with 12 paper liners - lightly grease top of muffin pan. 

3. In a small bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; set aside for later.

4. In a small bowl, combine apples and 1 tablespoon flour; set aside for later.

5. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and milk; set aside for later.

6. In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, cream cheese, and 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; beat until well blended. 

7. Add amaretto, vanilla, and egg; beat until well blended. 

8. Add 1/3 flour mixture and stir to combine, add 1/2 sour cream mixture and stir to combine, add 1/3 flour, remaining 1/2 sour cream, and remaining 1/3 flour mixture. 

9. Stir in apple mixture. Divide batter evenly among muffin liners.

10. Remove streusel topping from the refrigerator. 

11. Using your fingers, break the large clumps into small ones; sprinkle evenly on top of the muffin batter. 

12. Bake muffins in the lower third of a 350F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes clean out of the center of the muffin. 

13. Cool muffins in pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a cooling rack.

14. Make the glaze by whisking the confectioner's sugar and milk together; drizzle over the cooled muffins.  Decrease milk for a thicker glaze.