Jewel Lewing's Banana Nut Cake
My mother swore she invented this recipe. However, I have seen shamefully similar recipes in cookbooks. by Patsy Layer
My mother swore she invented this recipe. However, I have seen shamefully similar recipes in cookbooks. by Patsy Layer
- Carbohydrate 2239.5166125 g
- Cholesterol 1139.97 mg
- Fat 363.549815 g
- Fiber 35.4011260819435 g
- Protein 99.9944275 g
- Saturated Fat 137.004895 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (3053g)
- Sodium 1630.463 mg
- Sugar 2204.11548641806 g
- Trans Fat 24.6155690000001 g
- Calories 12318 calories
Step-by-step
- Cream sugar, butter, and extracts.
- Add eggs, one at a time.
- Sift together flour, soda, and salt.
- Add flour mixture to egg/sugar alternately with the buttermilk.
- Beat well after each addition.
- Add the mashed bananas and lastly add the pecans.
- Pour batter into a greased and sugared tube pan.
- Bake at 350 for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
- Toothpick will come out clean.
- Cool a few minutes, then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling.
- This cake is sweet, rich and delicious and needs no icing.
- However, if you want icing, decrease sugar by ½ cup and use a cream cheese icing.
A raw ingredient list cannot convey how thoroughly the starches hydrate when dense fruit meets high sugar levels, nor does it predict the specific amber hue the crust takes on after nearly two hours in the heat. Baking this batter requires patience because the heavy load of mashed fruit and chopped nuts creates a dense crumb that conducts heat slowly. When selecting fruit at the market, look for specimens with heavily freckled peels rather than bright yellow skins, as overripe starches yield significantly more natural sweetness and moisture for the crumb. Because a tube pan provides a central core that helps conduct heat inward, greasing and dusting the metal surface with granulated sugar yields a crisp, caramelized exterior shell that contrasts pleasantly against the tender interior.
Accompaniments and Scaling Considerations
Serving slices of this rich baked good alongside tart, unsweetened elements creates a necessary palate balance against the high sugar content. Bright, acidic accompaniments like tart green apple slices, a dollop of crème fraîche, or unsweetened whipped cream cut through the heavy density of the butter and pecans. Pouring hot black coffee or strong Earl Grey tea alongside each portion provides bitter notes that contrast effectively with the sweet profile. Adjusting the yield up or down requires caution; splitting the batter into standard loaf pans alters the required baking window substantially, usually reducing total time to roughly 55 to 65 minutes while demanding careful observation to prevent the outer edges from over-browning before the center sets.
- Test doneness by inserting a wooden skewer deep into the thickest part of the ring, ensuring it emerges entirely free of wet batter.
- Cool the baked structure in the pan for exactly ten minutes before attempting inversion onto a wire rack to prevent structural collapse.
- Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap once fully cooled at room temperature to maintain crumb moisture for up to four days.
