I have a green metal box full of my grandmother’s hand-written recipes. When I need some baking inspiration, I love to look through it and see what jumps out at me.
Recently, I came across one of her recipes for a banana icing. No cake, just the icing. As I started thinking of what kind of cake would go well with the icing, my mind kept returning to the idea of a pecan cake.
Never one to shy away from pecans, I dove in and made a new favorite cake packed with pecans and a hint of cinnamon. It proved to be a perfect complement to a simple, sweet banana icing. And, of course, I couldn’t resist serving it on one of my grandmother’s cake stands. Beautiful, isn’t it?
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 large banana
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 16 ounces confectioners’ sugar
- 2-4 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
Instructions
To make the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla.
Gradually add flour mixture and mix until combined. Stir in sour cream. Stir in pecans.
Bake 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack.
To make the icing:
In a large bowl, mash banana. Stir in butter and lemon juice. Add sugar in 3-4 additions and mix until smooth and spreadable.
Place one cake layer on cake plate. Cover the top with half of the icing. Top with remaining cake layer. Cover the top with remaining icing. Garnish, if desired, with pecans.
Refrigerate cake until frosting has set (1-2 hours) before serving.
http://www.bakeorbreak.com/2012/04/pecan-layer-cake-with-banana-icing/
April 6th, 2012 at 8:59 am
Yum! That cake looks and sounds amazing. I heard of Banana icing a while ago and was intreaged, I willl definitely have to give it a try!
April 6th, 2012 at 9:27 am
Beautiful, indeed. And I have bananas on my counter right now…thank you!
April 6th, 2012 at 12:54 pm
The stand is beautiful and the cake looks simple and very tasty
Thanks for always sharing great recipes!!
April 7th, 2012 at 12:16 am
I never would’ve though to put banana in icing. Props to your grandma.
April 8th, 2012 at 7:08 am
Omgygoodness look at that pure white icing on that buttery nutty cake! I always love a goood cake kudos to your grandma. Keep it up!
-Simply Bakes
April 10th, 2012 at 5:03 pm
You had me at banana icing! This cake looks amazing, so much, that I had to “pin” it! I trust this meets with your approval!
April 15th, 2012 at 4:54 pm
Looks amazing! If only computers could provide taste tests.
October 21st, 2012 at 7:32 pm
When do you use the sour cream?!
October 21st, 2012 at 7:36 pm
Kerry, it’s in the 4th paragraph of the cake instructions. Right before the pecans are added.
November 10th, 2012 at 9:19 am
Due to a general lack of talent, I steer clear of layer cakes.
Do you think this cake would work as a 13×9?
November 11th, 2012 at 12:09 pm
Amber, I haven’t tried it as a 9×13, but the volume should be roughly the same. I think it will work.
November 11th, 2012 at 9:26 pm
I am going to give it a shot! I will try to remember to post the results, I will probably forget!
April 1st, 2013 at 12:10 am
Hi Jennifer! This recipe sounds incredible, especially the banana icing OMG, and I wanted to stop by to let you know I featured it in my Sunday Sweeties Easter Links
http://teenagecakeland.wordpress.com/2013/03/31/sunday-sweeties-331-easter-links/