Let Them Eat Cake

Let Them Eat Cake
I have to confess; I am not a cake eating person. I love to bake them but I am not a huge fan of cake. I keep thinking that I will find some cake out there that I will forsake pie for but alas, it has not happened. I came close with this one. This recipe comes in a distant second but I still have not found THE cake. I am a flaky pastry person. Give me pie any day! Even a cookie will do for me.

I felt inspired to bake a few weeks ago. The weather was hinting of spring and for some reason I needed to fire up the oven and create. I also had some fruit that was dying on the kitchen counter that needed to be dealt with so here is the sum of my effort. It’s from my favorite bedraggled Farm Journal’s Country Cookbook.

Blue Ribbon Banana Cake
¾ cup shortening (I used the Crisco that is in the green can)
1 ½ cup sugar (I used the white baking Splenda)
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas
½ tsp salt
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup chopped pecans
1 cup flaked coconut ( I toasted my coconut on a sheet pan in the oven for a few minutes at 350 even though the recipe did not call for it to be)
Creamy Nut Filling
White Snow Frosting

Cream together shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs; beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Add mashed bananas. Beat 2 minutes. Sift together dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture along with buttermilk and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes. Stir in nuts.

Turn into 2 greased and floured 9” round layer cake pans. Sprinkle ½ coconut on each layer. Bake in a moderate (375) oven 25-30 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool layers, coconut side up on racks.

Place first layer coconut side down and spread on Creamy Nut Filling. Top with second layer, coconut side up. Swirl White Snow Frosting around sides and about 1” from the top edge, leaving center unfrosted.

Creamy Nut Filling
Combine ½ cup sugar, 2 TBS flour, ½ cup cram and 2 TBS butter in heavy saucepan. Cook until thickened. Add ½ cup pecans, ¼ tsp salt and 1 tsp vanilla. Cool.

White Snow Frosting
Cream together 1 egg white, ¼ cup shortening, ¼ cup butter, ½ tsp coconut extract and ½ tsp vanilla until well blended. Gradually add 2 cups sifted confectioners sugar, beating until light and fluffy.

This is the finished product.

This is what a slice looked like. I think I globbed a bit too much of the Creamy Nut Frosting in one spot when I put the layers together, but it didn't matter. It still was moist and a really nice piece of cake. Despite not being a huge cake fan, this was a good cake.