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Banana Cream Layer Cake

Here is a layered delicate banana-buttermilk cake with a fluffy Bavarian-style cream that's made low-fat by combining nonfat milk with a reasonable amount of whipping cream. The rich taste makes it hard to believe that this cake has only 300 calories and 3 grams of saturated fat per slice.


Cake


2 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas, (about 3), plus 2 whole bananas, divided

1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour, (see Ingredient Note)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Bavarian Cream

3/4 cup low-fat milk

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup whipping cream

Preparation


1.To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with wax paper or parchment paper.

2.Whisk eggs, 1 cup sugar and oil in a large bowl. Stir in mashed bananas, buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add to the banana mixture and fold in just until blended. Divide the batter between the pans.

3.Bake the cake until the tops spring back when touched lightly, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

4.To prepare Bavarian cream: Place milk in a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over the milk and let stand for 1 minute to soften. Stir in 2 tablespoons sugar and heat over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the gelatin. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and transfer to a medium bowl. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of raw egg whites, 40 to 45 minutes.

5.Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Whisk one-third of the whipped cream into the milk mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream. Refrigerate until set and thickened to the consistency of whipped cream again, about 1 hour.

6.To assemble cake: Shortly before serving, place 1 cake layer on a serving plate and spread half the Bavarian cream over it. Peel and slice the remaining bananas; arrange half the slices evenly over the cream. Top with the second cake layer. Spread the remaining cream over the cake and arrange the remaining banana slices decoratively over the top.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 3. Wrap the cooled layers in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 1 day.

Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

Ingredient Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less gluten than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of whole grains. Available in large supermarkets and in natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.

Nutrition

Per serving: 300 calories; 11 g fat (3 g sat, 5 g mono); 47 mg cholesterol; 47 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 3 g fiber; 229 mg sodium; 204 mg potassium.



3 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fruit, 1 1/2 other carbohydrate, 2 fat

MILKY WAY WONDER CAKE

MILKY WAY WONDER CAKE


For those of you that like the milky way brownies here's another great recipe.



13 fun-size Milky Way bars

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)



Melt candy bars and 1/2 cup butter in saucepan over low heat.

Cream remaining butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beat well. Add flour and soda alternately with buttermilk, stir till smooth. Add melted candy, mix well. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Bake in greased and floured 10" tube pan or bundt pan at 350º for 1 hour and 20 minutes

Here ya go---enjoy!!!!!

This is a dark, chocolaty cake, filled with a delicious vodka and cherry cream.


Murzynek Recipe – Ingredients – STAGE ONE




» 250g Vegetable Shortening (such as Stork)

» 150g White Sugar

» 150ml Water

» 6 heaped Teaspoons Cocoa Powder

» 600g Plain Flour

» 2 level tsp Baking Powder

» 3 Eggs

» 1 tbsp Blackcurrant Jam

» 1 packet Flaked Almonds, for decoration

» 2 Handfulls of Cherries

» Vodka

Murzynek Recipe – Method – STAGE ONE



1.Start by placing cherries in Vodka (enough to cover) – we’ll come back to them later

2.Heat Shortening gently until melted

3.Add sugar, water and cocoa, and mix well

4.Heat gently until simmering; remove from heat, and stir well continuously until cool.

5.Transfer to mixing bowl.

6.Add flour, baking soda, eggs, and jam. Mix well.

7.Place inside greased/lined cake tin

8.Bake for 40 minutes at 180 degrees c. Check before removing; probe centre with wooden cocktail stick, and if still wet, cook for a little longer.

Meanwhile, you will be preparing vodka cream for the filling…



Murzynek Recipe – Ingredients – STAGE TWO



» 125g Unsalted Butter

» 150g Caster Sugar

» 1 Egg (Whole)

» 1 Egg Yolk

» 50ml Vodka

Murzynek Recipe – Ingredients – STAGE TWO



1.Cream butter with sugar with a hand mixer. Add to this the eggs, and mix again, then add vodka, mixing one more time.

2.Place mixture in fridge for approximately 20 minutes

3.Take your (cooled!) cake and cut in half – 2 frisbee shaped slices

4.Spread cream over bottom slice of cake evenly

5.Dot cherries evenly into the cream

6.Place top slice onto bottom one – your cake is now whole again

All of which will lead into the chocolate topping…



Murzynek Recipe – Ingredients – STAGE THREE



» 125g Unsalted Butter

» 5 Heaped tbsp Sugar

» 1 tbsp Water

» 4 tsp Cocoa Powder

Murzynek Recipe – Ingredients – STAGE THREE



1.Heat butter until almost melted

2.Add other ingredients, and stir – fast.

3.When all ingredients are combined and starting to bubble, remove from heat. Stir continuously, for approximately 10 minutes (the longer the better).

4.Pour onto centre of cake, spreading with pallet knife.

5.Place almond slices evenly on the still soft chocolate until cake is covered.

You’re done! Allow to cool, and enjoy a slice with a cup of freshly ground coffee. Enjoy!