Moist Banana Cake - Gluten Free

Here's the deal. This Banana cake ROCKS!!! It is easily one of the most delicious cakes I have ever eaten, even before going Gluten free. It is pure comfort food. It doesn't have the dense texture of a traditional banana bread, it has the more smooth, delicate texture of a cake. The frosting is a traditional cream cheese frosting that in my opinion is nirvana in and of itself. My daughters and I can lick the frosting beaters and bowl clean in minutes. I must warn you, this recipe is not for the faint of heart... it has Paula Deen written all over it. Loads of butter and sour cream. Need I say more? This is most likely why it tastes so delectable! I say: you only live once... so "let them eat cake"! Cake like this can even make a satisfying breakfast (why not, it has bananas in it and bananas are brain food, don't ya know!). Kudos to Pamela's Products. I got this recipe off of their website http://www.pamelasproducts.com/. It was one of the winning entries from the 2006 Pamela's Greatest Gluten-free Recipes Contest. It was submitted by Greg R. THANK YOU Greg R!! I will be forever grateful to you for this recipe. I freeze individual slices of this Banana Cake with wonderful results. Place the frosted cake in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up the frosting. The partially frozen slices can then be sliced and wrapped in plastic wrap. Place the individually wrapped slices in a freezer zip top bag, and place the bag in the freezer. To defrost: remove desired amount of slices; unwrap and thaw on a plate on the counter for 1 hour. The cake will then be perfectly defrosted, moist and ready to eat. Next time you look at your "seen better days" bananas, don't throw them out... make this cake! Post a comment and let me know how much you love after you make it. :)

Cheers,
Cinde

Moist Banana Cake - Gluten free

2 large ripe bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
2 tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups Pamela's Ultimate Baking and Pancake Mix10 TBSP. butter, softened

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9 inch cake pan: grease sides and bottom, line bottom with parchment or wax paper and grease again, then dust bottom and sides with white rice flour.

Mash the bananas until smooth. Add the sour cream and use mixer to blend until smooth. Add the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla and blend. Measure Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix and sugar in a separate bowl and mix together. Add butter and half of the banana mixture and mix slowly until dry ingredients are well moistened. Increase speed to medium and beat for one and a half minutes to aerate batter. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add remaining banana mixture in two parts, beating for 20 seconds after each. Scrape down sides of bowl. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Smooth with spatula and bake in center of oven for approximately 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Allow cake to cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield: 1 nine inch cake (double the recipe for a two layer cake).


Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz. brick cream cheese at room temperature
8 TBSP. Butter (1 stick) at room temperature
3-3/4 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, 30 seconds. Stop the machine. Add the confectioners sugar, a bit at a time, blending with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is well incorporated, 1 minute. Add the vanilla, then increase the mixer speed to medium and blend the frosting until fluffy, 1 minute more.

Use at once to frost the top and sides of your cake.

Yield: Makes 3 cups, enough to frost a 2 or 3 layer cake