Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick / 2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
- 1 1/4 cups (156 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) vegetable or another neutral oil
- 1 cups (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
For the Banana Part Bottom / Top:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (66 grams) lightly packed brown sugar
- 2 ripe but firm bananas
Instructions
- To make the cake, first preheat oven to 350 degrees; position the rack in the middle. Grease an 8-inch round cake pans. This needs to be a tall-sided cake pan (3-inches high). If you only have a 9-inch tall cake pan – that will do, too.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.
- In a large bowl beat the softened butter, oil and sugar together with an electric hand beater until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium for 1 minute between each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients to the batter and fold together with a spatula until just combined. Add the milk and fold together with a spatula until just combined. Use the electric hand beaters to whip the batter on medium speed for 3 minutes until well aerated. Stir in the pecans, if using.
- Place the butter and brown sugar in the pan and place the pan in the oven until the butter melts. The sugar won’t dissolve just yet. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to spread the butter and sugar into an even layer.
- Peel bananas and carefully slice lengthwise and in half. Fashion the bananas around the pan, cut side down.
- Spoon batter over the sugar and bananas and use a spatula to smooth to an even layer reaching the edges of the pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes (it’s a long back because there’s a lot of cake batter) or until the cake is golden, domed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Keep an eye on the cake after 35 minutes and reassess how much time it might need in your oven.
- Transfer the cake to a cooling rack for 5 to 7 minutes. You’ll want to invert the cake while it’s still very warm to ensure that all the caramelized banana goodness comes out of the cake pan. Run a butterknife along the edges of the pan to loosen the sides. Place a platter on top of the cake in the pan and, using pot holders, decisively invert to pan. You should hear the cake release onto the platter. Remove the cake pan and if there is a banana piece left behind in the pan, just use the butterknife to transfer it to the pan and onto the cake. No one will know a thing.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. This cake will store, covered in the refrigerator for up to three days though it’s best the within two days of baking.
