Banana Coffee Cake

I always have overripe bananas on hand.  When I go grocery shopping, I always check out the banana section. Let’s face it, buying a bunch of  just ripe bananas are expensive.  But if you look past them, maybe on a lower shelf, you can find the slightly overripe bananas on sale.  Sometimes the stores will give them away for free, it they are too overripe.  I love using bananas in cooking and this banana coffee cake is one of our favorites. It doesn’t take long to mix up and it smells delicious while it’s baking.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening or use 1/4 cup butter and ¼ cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon banana flavor
• 1/2 cup butter milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.      Grease a 9  by 13 inch cake pan

3.     Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.

4.      Add  bananas, vanilla,  and banana flavor. Mix to incorporate.

5.      Set the mixer to slow speed, and add the buttermilk .  Remove the bowl from the mixer.  If you don’t have butter milk, substitute it with whole milk and 1 tablespoon vinegar.  Allow the mixture to set for 5 minutes before adding to the cake.

6.      In a small bowl, combine flour, soda, baking powder, and salt.  Fold into creamed mixture. Do not over mix or the cake will be tough.  Only stir the mixture to moisten the flower. 

7.      Pour the batter in the prepared pan.

8.      Combine the topping ingredients of sugar and cinnamon.  

9.      Sprinkle half the topping mixture over the cake batter.  Take a knife and cut through the batter and topping to swirl or marbled it through the cake.

10.  Sprinkle the remaining topping over the cake top.  Do not mix or swirl it into the batter.   the remaining batter over the streusel.  Sprinkle the remaining streusel mixture over the top.

11.  Bake about 40 minutes or until done when tested with a wooden toothpick.

12.   Cut and serve warm or cool.