Banana Crumb Cake

 

I hid a few bananas from the Toddster this week so I could bake with them.  I am not overly fond of fresh bananas, unless they are sliced on top of my rice crispies or sitting beneath a blanket of custard, or in a banana cream pie.  I love baking with them most of all. 




If you were to offer me a bowl of fruit and there was only one apple in it and the rest were bananas . . . I'd take the apple every time.  Todd, on the other hand, loves bananas, and as soon as he sees them starten to really ripen he is in a mad rush to eat them all up before they go "bad."  I can't tell you the number of times I have wanted to bake something with banana in it only to see Todd sitting in his chair munching on the last banana! 





Hence my need to hide a few bananas . . . so I can bake.  Lovely goodies such as Banana, Cranberry and Walnut Loaf.  This is so good that my neighbor asks me to bake him one each Christmas.  Or my Fully Loaded Banana Chip Muffins.  Oh so scrummy.  Sour Cream Banana Loaf.  So moist and delicious.  My ex boss wanted me to bake it for him every week.  He loved it toasted and buttered for breakfast.  If you put the word Banana into the search block in my right hand column, you will find lots of banana delights.  Each one scrummier than the last!



We love this Banana Crumb Cake.   It's moist and delicious and has a ribbon of scrummy crumb through the centre, which kind of turns caramel-like . . . and then a crunchy crumb topping that is moreishly buttery.  Altogether this is a real winner.



It only keeps a couple of days though . . . which if you had a large family wouldn't be a problem as this disappears like water . . . but . . . if there are only two of you, like there is in our house, you will want to cut it into single servings, wrap well and freeze, for up to two months or so.



I don't see any problem in that.  It's nice to have some cake in the freezer for when the urge hits . . . especially when it's a delicious Banana Crumb Cake!  Enjoy!

*Banana Crumb Cake*
Makes one 9 by 13 inch cake
Serves 12

Printable Recipe  

Moist and delicious with a scrummy crumb running through the middle and garnishing the top.  In the centre it's just moreish, on top it's crunchy.   Gorgeous.

280g plain flour (2 cups)

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp fine sea salt

3 medium ripe bananas

125g of unsalted butter, at room temperature (generous half cup, or 9 TBS)

280g of caster sugar (2 cups)

2 large free range eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

225ml of whole milk (1 cup)

For the crumb filling and topping:

225g cold butter, cubed (scant cup)

400g soft light brown sugar (2 cups)

280g of plain flour (2 cups)

Icing sugar for dusting

For the glaze:

130g sifted icing sugar (scant cup)

few drops vanilla

1 - 2 TBS milk  

  

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter a 9 by 13 inch pan and dust lightly with flour, tapping any excess out.  Set aside.

Make the crumb filling by stirring the flour and brown sugar together in a large bowl.  Rub lightly to get rid of any lumps.  Drop in the butter and cut it in with a pastry blender or a fork, until you have a coarse crumb mixture.  Set aside.

Sift the flour and baking powder together.  Set aside.

Mash the bananas until they are liquified in a large bowl.   Add the butter to combine and then beat in the eggs, sugar and vanilla until mixed well.  Add the flour and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour.  Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan.  Top with 1/3 of the crumb mixture.  Cover with the remainder of the batter.  Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over top evenly.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes (mine took an additional 15 minutes) until the centre is set and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes.  At the end of that time dust with icing sugar if desired.  Whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth and then drizzle them decoratively over the top of the cake.

Cut into squares to serve.  This may be served warm or cold and will store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.  It also freezes well.