I make the cake and then freeze the layers separately. Easier to frost when frozen.
- Carbohydrate 253.787125689343 g
- Cholesterol 237.268332517197 mg
- Fat 85.8670285704501 g
- Fiber 6.92722924251358 g
- Protein 31.1267993246472 g
- Saturated Fat 44.4813655131893 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (619g)
- Sodium 23699.5795297085 mg
- Sugar 246.85989644683 g
- Trans Fat 6.04838978248516 g
- Calories 1924 calories
Step-by-step
- Place 2/3 cups shortiening in mixing bowl.
- Sift in 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 2/3 cups sugar, 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. salt.
- Add bananas and 1/2 cup buttermilk.
- Mix till moistened and beat 2 mintes on medium speed on electric mixer.
- Add 1/3 cup buttermilk and 2 eggs, beat 2 minutes longer.
- Bake in 2 greased and lightly floured round cake pans at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
- Cool 10 minutes and remove from pans.
- You can line bottom of pan with wax paper.
- Can freeze and frost later.
- I use butter cream frosting.
Freezing cake layers prior to frosting significantly reduces crumb shedding and structural tearing. When handling delicate baked goods containing mashed fruit, temperature control dictates success from the mixing bowl to the storage wrap. Cold butter or shortening interacts differently with starches depending on ambient kitchen warmth, making precise measurement essential for structural integrity.
Sifting the dry ingredients directly over the fat creates a sandy texture that coats the flour particles, inhibiting excessive gluten development when the liquid enters. Combine the shortening, flour, sugar, leaveners, and salt thoroughly before introducing the bananas and initial buttermilk. Beat this base at medium speed for precisely two minutes to incorporate air pockets that the baking powder and baking soda will expand during heating. Introduce the remaining buttermilk and eggs in the second two-minute mixing phase to hydrate the batter evenly without defusing the trapped air. Bake the batter in two greased and lightly floured round pans at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes, checking for springback in the center before extraction.
Allow the pans to sit undisturbed for 10 minutes after removal from the oven to let the interior starches set fully. Invert the layers onto wire racks to prevent condensation from accumulating on the bottom crusts, which causes soggy textures. Lining the pan bottoms with wax paper prevents sticking during this inversion step. Transferring the cooled layers directly into the freezer firms the crumb structure, allowing smoother application of buttercream frosting without tearing the tender sponge.
Mixing and Baking Dynamics
Sifting the dry ingredients directly over the fat creates a sandy texture that coats the flour particles, inhibiting excessive gluten development when the liquid enters. Combine the shortening, flour, sugar, leaveners, and salt thoroughly before introducing the bananas and initial buttermilk. Beat this base at medium speed for precisely two minutes to incorporate air pockets that the baking powder and baking soda will expand during heating. Introduce the remaining buttermilk and eggs in the second two-minute mixing phase to hydrate the batter evenly without defusing the trapped air. Bake the batter in two greased and lightly floured round pans at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes, checking for springback in the center before extraction.
Cooling and Thermal Management
Allow the pans to sit undisturbed for 10 minutes after removal from the oven to let the interior starches set fully. Invert the layers onto wire racks to prevent condensation from accumulating on the bottom crusts, which causes soggy textures. Lining the pan bottoms with wax paper prevents sticking during this inversion step. Transferring the cooled layers directly into the freezer firms the crumb structure, allowing smoother application of buttercream frosting without tearing the tender sponge.
