Recipe: Fiesta Banana Cake and Banana Cake (using Swans Down Cake Flour)

FIESTA BANANA CAKE

FOR THE CAKE:
2 cups sifted swans down cake flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas
1 cup buttermilk, divided use
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
FOR THE FROSTING:
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 tbsp. finely chopped maraschino cherries
3 bananas, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
halved maraschino cherries (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (8-inch) round cake pans.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat sugar, shortening and eggs. Add bananas, 1/2 cup buttermilk, and vanilla. Then add sifted dry ingredients alternately with remaining buttermilk and pecans. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cake in pans for 5 minutes, remove from pans and finish cooling.

TO FROST AND ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
Whip heavy cream. Fold chopped maraschino cherries into 1/3 of whipped cream and spread on bottom layer. Arrange half of banana slices on top. Cover with second layer and spread top with remaining cream. Decorate with remaining banana slices around top of cake, placing halved maraschino cherries between banana slices.

Board: Vintage Recipes at Recipelink.com
From: Halyna - NY 1-2-2008

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BANANA CAKE

2 cups sifted Swans Down cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened (or shortening)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg and 1 egg yolk, well beaten
1 cup mashed bananas
3/4 cup sour milk (or buttermilk)
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease two (8 or 9-inch) pans or one (13x9-inch) pan.

Sift flour once, measure, add baking powder, baking soda, and salt and sift together 3 times; set aside.

Cream butter thoroughly, add sugar gradually and cream together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well; then add bananas and beat again. Add flour to creamed mixture, alternately with milk, a small amount at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Add vanilla. Place batter in prepared pan(s).

Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes or until cake tests done.

Frost cooled cake with orange, lemon or chocolate frosting.

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Dear Helen,

Neither of these recipes includes the original source, but Halyna's post fits your description better because of the nuts. I included the second recipe for you to compare. I hope someone will have the exact recipe to share.

Happy Baking!

Betsy