Banana Spice Cake

As Seen On Joy of Desserts & More Linky Page.

Results: 16 servings

Apparatus:

Oven (preheat to 350F)
12-cup bundt pan
Cooking spray
Sieve
Mixing bowl
Small saucepan
Small bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Electric mixer
Large mixing bowl

Components:

2 1/2 cups unsifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (divided 1 cup, 3/4 cup)
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 large bananas)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup buttermilk
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Coat bundt pan with cooking spray.
3. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cloves and salt together into a bowl; set aside.
4. Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan, until the butter turns a nutty brown.
5. Pour the butter into a small bowl and let cool slightly.
6. Beat egg whites in a clean mixing bowl with an electric mixer on low speed just until frothy.
7. Add cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium and beat until soft peaks form.
8. Gradually beat in 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, just until firm peaks form; set aside.
9. Combine mashed banana, oil, orange zest, vanilla, egg yolk, the reserved melted butter and the remaining 1 cup sugar in a large mixing bowl.
10. Beat to combine.
11. With the mixer on low speed, add the buttermilk and flour mixtures alternately in two additions each.
12. Beat just until blended.
13. Add a heaping spoonful of the meringue and beat for just a few seconds to lighten the batter.
14. Fold the remaining meringue into the batter by hand.
15. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake is richly browned (50 to 60 minutes).
16. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes
17. Turn out onto the rack to cool completely.
18. Before serving, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar.

Original recipe from:
http://www.cooking.com/Recipes-and-More/recipes/Banana-Spice-Cake-recipe-10177.aspx

Seven-Minute Frosting

Apparatus:

Whisk
Large stainless-steel bowl
Instant-read thermometer
Wide, deep skillet

Components:

5 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs whites at room temperature
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts or shredded sweetened dried coconut (optional)

Procedure:

1. Whisk water, cream of tarter, sugar, egg whites, and corn syrup together in a large, stainless-steel bowl.
2. Set the bowl in a wide, deep skillet filled with simmering water (about 1 inch, water level is at least as high as the depth of the egg whites in the bowl).
3. Beat the whites on low speed until the mixture reaches 140 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Do not stop beating while the bowl is in the skillet, or the egg whites will be overcooked. If you cannot hold the thermometer stem in the egg whites while continuing to beat, remove the bowl from the skillet to read the thermometer, returning the bowl to the skillet to continue.
4. Beat on high speed for exactly five minutes.
5. Remove the bowl from the skillet and add vanilla, beating on high speed for two to three more minutes to cool.
6. Stir in coconut or nuts, if you are using them.
7. Use this frosting the day it is made.

Original recipe from:

Seven-Minute Frosting
Adapted from Joy of Cooking
http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/09/layered-lemon-love/

...which had lemon cake, the filling and this frosting