Cordon Rose Banana Cake

I guess anything that indulges our senses, smell, sight, taste can bring us back to a a memory, be it a happy or sad one. I have always liked banana cake. I think it has something to do with the smell. The sweet scent that reminds me of family, comfort and it does tug at your heartstrings.

Having read very good reviews on this banana cake from Rose Levy Beranbaum's "The Cake Bible", I decided to purchase the book and this recipe was the first one that I would try. I had some bananas which were grown organically in my mother's garden, and gave it a go.

I used the Nordic Ware Bouquet Pan, which gives me two roses, two daises and two sunflowers. The little cakes rose in the oven and erupted in the center! I had to adjust the baking time as the time in the recipe was for a normal sized cake. After they were cooked, I flipped the pan over and placed it on a wire rack for about 3 minutes, placing some pressure on the pan so the erupted dome would retreat and I would get a somewhat flat bottom. It worked and here's a photo of my rose.

Cordon Rose Banana Cake (adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum's The Cake Bible)
Ingredients
2 large ripe bananas, at room temperature
120g sour cream
2 large eggs (about 60g with shell), at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
200g sifted cake flour
170g caster sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
142g unsalted butter, softened
Icing Sugar for Dusting

Method
Preheat oven to 175C.
Using a food processor, process bananas and sour cream till well combined. Add eggs, lemon zest and vanilla in. Process till smooth and set aside.
Combine the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and sugar using an electric mixer for about half a minute. Add butter and half of banana mixture in, beating batter on low speed till just combined. Increase speed to medium and beat for about a minute and a half. Add remaining banana mixture in 2 batches, beating for 20 seconds on low speed after each addition.
Pour batter into prepared Nordicware Pan, filling each mould till about three quarters full. Bake for about 22- 25 minutes or till skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and then from pan and let cakes cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle Icing Sugar before serving.