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Go Bananas B-A-N-A-N-A-S for cake? Warren Brown, author of "Cake Love: How to Bake Cakes from Scratch" (Stewart, Tabori & Chang), can help even amateur bakers whip up a versatile, fruity delight ... tonight 
Mr. Banana Legs Cake Dry Ingredients: 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (add 2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon at high altitude) 1 tablespoon potato starch 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (omit at high altitude) 1 whole nutmeg Liquid Ingredients: 3 very ripe peeled bananas 3/4 cup half-and-half (add 2 tablespoons at high altitude 1 tablespoon rum 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract Creaming: 1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter 2-3/4 cups extra-fine granulated sugar (add 3 tablespoons at high altitude) 4 large eggs (5 at high altitude) 3 large egg yolks Alcohol-free variation: Omit the rum and vanilla extract. Substitute 2 tablespoons whole milk and the seeds from 1 vanilla bean. Whisk to combine with the liquid ingredients. Prepare ahead of time: Grate the nutmeg with a rasp. Measure 1/8 teaspoon and set aside.1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (convection). Set rack in the middle of the oven. 2. Set out the ingredients and equipment. Sift the flour directly into a bowl on a scale for accurate measuring. Measure the other dry ingredients into a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, and whisk for 10 seconds to blend. Set aside. Combine the liquid ingredients in a food processor and process for 30 seconds or until smooth. Place in a separate bowl and set aside. Measure the butter and sugar into separate bowls and set aside. Crack the eggs and yolks into two separate bowls and set aside. 3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on the lowest speed for 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture should look white, fluffy and aerated. 4. With the mixer still on the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time followed by the yolks, fully incorporating after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl. 5. Add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with the liquid mixture in 3 to 5 additions each, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Move swiftly through this step to avoid overworking the batter. Don't wait for the dry or liquid mixtures to be fully incorporated before adding the next. This step should take a total of about 60 seconds. 6. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl all the way down. Don't miss the clumps of ingredients hiding on the bottom of the bowl. Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds to develop the batter's structure. 7. Prepare the pans. For a Bundt cake, spray the pan well with a nonstick spray. For 9-inch-round cakes, line the bottom of each pan with parchment but do not spray the sides. 8. For a Bundt cake, fill the pan about three-quarters full by depositing the batter with the rubber spatula in small clumps around the prepared pan instead of by pouring it into one spot. Level the batter with the rubber spatula. Bake any leftover batter as cupcakes. For 9-inch-round cakes, deposit the batter into three separate areas of the pan and smooth out with an offset spatula, making sure the pans are two-thirds full. 9. Follow these approximate bake times: 12-cup Bundt: 45 minutes at sea level, 55 minutes at high altitude 9-inch-rounds: 26-28 minutes at sea level, 42 minutes at high altitude 10. Once the top of the cake doesn't jiggle in the center and is golden brown across the top and edges, test for doneness by inserting a bamboo skewer in the center of the cake. When the skewer shows just a touch of crumbs or comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a heat-resistant surface or wire rack. 11. For the Bundt cake, once the cake has cooled for 5 to 10 minutes, remove the cake by inverting the pan onto a flat surface. Allow it to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before glazing. 12. For the layer cake, cool to room temperature, 25 to 30 minutes, before removing from the pan. Use a small offset spatula to loosen the cake from the rim of the pan. Carefully invert each pan onto a flat surface to remove the layers. Remove the parchment from the bottom of each cake and wrap the cake tightly in plastic. Assembling a layer cake is easier if the cake is cold, so refrigerate the layers overnight or for up to 5 days before frosting. Serving and Storing: Serve naked with a dusting of confectioners' sugar or use glazing chocolate. For a dressed-up version, serve assembled with rum-flavored buttercream, ganache and fresh bananas. Store under a cake dome at room temperature, or wrapped in plastic in the fridge for up to 1 week. If frosted, store under a cake dome for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. To store unfrosted cake longer, label, date, and store the plastic-wrapped cake in the freezer for up to 1 month. |
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