Best Brazilian Banana Cake Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 by 2-inch round cake pan.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the bananas, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on low speed until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the oil, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest. Mix until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in the chopped walnuts, if using. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, turn out onto a cooling rack, and cool completely.
• Spread the frosting thickly on the top of the cake and decorate with walnut halves, if using.
• Mix the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed until just combined. Don't whip! Add the sugar and mix until smooth.

BRAZILIAN WHOLE BANANA PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of brown sugar over the bottom of a small saucepan or skillet. Cook over medium heat until melted. Stir in water until sugar is completely dissolved. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Pour the syrup into a round baking dish or deep dish pie plate and spread to coat the bottom.
• Make a layer of bananas on top of the melted sugar. In a medium bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, wheat germ, oats and 1 cup of brown sugar. Mix in the margarine using your hands, pinching it into small pieces to make a crumbly dough. Sprinkle half of this over the bananas in the dish and pat down. Top with the remaining bananas and sprinkle with about half of the cinnamon. Spread the rest of the dough over the bananas and pat the pie smooth. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon over the top.
• Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the pie topping is toasted and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

BRAZILIAN BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
• In a large bowl, mix together margarine and sugar until smooth.
• Mix in yolks.
• Stir in flour and baking powder alternately with the milk.
• In another bowl, beat egg whites until doubled in volume.
• Fold beaten whites into the dough.
• Spread into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
• Slice bananas over the top of the dough.
• In a small bowl, mix together the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon; sprinkle over bananas.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Allow to cool.

THE BEST BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan (see Cook's Note) with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two longer sides. Lightly spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
• For the cake, mash the bananas in a large bowl with a fork or potato masher until very smooth. Whisk in the dark brown sugar, melted butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla until smooth and combined. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
• Fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture in thirds until just combined. Pour into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Leave the cake in the pan to cool slightly, about 30 minutes. Use the foil overhang to remove the cake from the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, beat the butter, cream cheese and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Reduce to low speed, then add the powdered sugar a cup at a time until smooth. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract.
• Transfer 1/2 cup of the frosting to a small bowl and stir in the dulce de leche until smooth. Cover both frostings with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature until ready to assemble the cake.
• For the candied banana chips, warm the maple syrup in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until it just starts bubbling. Add the banana chips and cook, tossing and stirring frequently with a rubber spatula, until the chips have absorbed almost all the maple syrup and are browned in spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately transfer the banana chips to a baking sheet, spread in an even layer and cool completely. Once cool, roughly chop.
• Transfer the cake to a serving platter. Spread about 3/4 cup plain cream cheese frosting all over the top of the cake.
• Dollop the dulce de leche frosting and remaining plain frosting on top, then use a small offset spatula to swirl both frostings together in a swooping design, making sure the frosting goes all the way to the edges of the cake. Top with the chopped candied banana chips.