This is a recipe request from a few months ago. I was in a bundt cake phase and had bananas to use up, so created this snacking cake which turned out just too good to keep to myself. I shared it with a group of lovely folk from the Urbana18 worship team, who had made the trek to visit and practice with their Manitoba member, Danielle Ingram. The cake disappeared quickly even after a delish meal of braised pork tacos! Mmmm, maybe that needs to be the next recipe post. Happy Friday friends.

It’s the weekend! Pull out those over-ripe bananas you shoved into the freezer on Monday - this is the cake you need to make with them!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsalted butter, soft (or a dairy free alternative)

1 cup white sugar

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups mashed bananas (about 4 bananas)

3/4 cup buttermilk (I used dairy free coconut yogurt with 1 Tbs lemon juice)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (to make it Gluten Free, I used 1 cup sweet white sorghum flour, 1/2 cup tapioca starch, 1/2 cup gf oat flour, 1/4 cup coconut flour and 2 tsp xanthan gum)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Optional: 1/2 cup walnuts

Directions for one 10-cup bundt cake:

1. Place butter and sugar into the bowl of your mixer and beat on medium speed for 3-5 minutes. While this is going, prepare your bundt pan. Using a pastry brush and softened butter, coat the crevasses of the pan well. Tap around a few tablespoons of white rice flour so that the greased pan gets nicely coated so that it will fully release the cake and the beautiful pattern of the pan is displayed after baking. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Crack and whisk the eggs, adding them in two additions to the creamed mixture, scraping the sides down between additions. Beat for 1 minute.

3. Whisk together the buttermilk (or dairy free alternative suggested) with bananas and vanilla extract. Set aside.

4. Place the dry ingredients into a bowl and dry-whisk them together. This removes lumps and prepares them to integrate evenly into the batter without over-mixing.

5. Add the flour mixture and the liquid mixture to the mixing bowl alternating between the two, beginning and ending with flour. Each addition can be about half of each mixture. Add the optional walnuts if you wish.

6. Spoon the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Place into the preheated oven for about one hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.

7. Remove the cake and let it rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Gently pull the edges away from the top sides and centre of the pan. Place a cooling rack on the bottom of the pan and flip it over. You should soon hear or feel the cake release. Lift the pan and admire your creation! Let it cool completely, or pour a simple glaze over it when it has cooled to warm.

8. Enjoy within three days if kept covered on the counter, or, up to 7 days if kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

NOTE: if your cake did not release from the pan fully, keep it upside down a few more minutes. Or, place it back in the oven for a bit longer. Having a high-quality non-stick pan such as the NordicWare brand is worth the price tag!

Serves 12-16 slices