A Monkey Would Have An Easier Time

How does one go from a ‘simple 2-bowl, 1-spoon banana cake’ to a 4-bowl, 2-forks, 1- sifter, 2 sets of measuring spoons, measuring cups’ banana cake? It’s easier than you think.

It all starts by overbuying fruit. The plums had to go, but luckily, rotten bananas are practically a delicacy. My usual fallback is banana bread. But whenever I have overripe bananas, I always think longingly about this delicious banana cake they used to serve back at the athletic cafeteria on LSU’s campus, where I worked for a semester.

I’ve always looked for a recipe (or at least I did for awhile) but could never find one like I remembered. Maybe I just didn’t try too hard, because I found a bunch of viable options today.

At first, I decided on Katrina’s Banana Cake from AllRecipes.com. I had all the ingredients; the only thing I didn’t like was it called for a bundt pan (I had to look up ‘tube pan’ which was in the directions; I tell you, I learn something new every day). Plus, it didn’t really come with any kind of icing directions, though the picture and a reviewer suggested a chocolate glaze.

The cake I remembered was a single layer with a nice white icing. So I kept looking and found Amy’s Banana Birthday Cake on ChowHound.com. This one was right up my alley. The ‘2-bowl, 1- spoon’ cake. I had everything but the buttermilk, and it said you could use plain yogurt instead. Something I did have on hand.

Or so I thought. Apparently, that horse had turned, but I didn’t find out until I had already mashed the bananas in one of the two bowls this recipe called for – one for wet and one for dry ingredients. Needless to say, I had to go back to Katrina’s recipe.

Instead of using the bundt pan, I just made two 9-inch rounds. Put the ‘dry’ ingredients in a bowl before realizing I had to sift them; thus another bowl. Blah, blah, blah, I won’t bore you with the details of exactly how I dirtied so much stuff, making this simple little cake that a monkey probably could have prepared with less trouble.

But I will tell you the results were fantastic! I cooked the cakes for about 25 minutes, then iced with the recipe from Amy’s Birthday Banana Cake after they cooled. Normally, cream cheese icing isn’t my first choice, and it’s not how I remember my LSU-days cake, but I had what I needed and gave it a whirl. Pretty tasty.

I’d show you a picture, but I still can’t find my digital camera. So you’ll have to take my word for it – and Rick’s. I was planning to take the finished product into work tomorrow, but he wants me to leave it here.