Banana Ginger Upside Down Cake

Do you ever feel nostalgia for that 1970s classic dessert, Bananas Foster? Standing tableside, a server would flambée bananas, butter, rum and sugar, and spoon them onto a crepe or over ice cream. So simple and so glamorous. This easy upside down cake won’t have the fire marshal showing up at your door, even as it delivers a similar flavor profile. Try it some chilly winter night, and enjoy the deliciousness of caramelized bananas and the zing of ginger.

How to Grind Your Own Spices

This Banana Ginger Upside Down Cake recipe uses ground spices such as ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. In case you want to use the freshest ingredients possible and grind your own spices, we have a few tips to make it a bit easier. There are a few different instruments you can use. With a mortar and pestle, you’re just going to grind the spices into the bottom of the pestle. Or, you can use a dedicated spice grinder. This convenient tool is great for grinding small quantities of spices into a fine powder. But, if you have neither of these on hand you can use a coffee grinder. Just be careful to clean it out well as the spices can affect the taste of your next pot of coffee…though you might enjoy the aromatic taste experience!

Banana Ginger Upside Down Cake

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• Author: Keith Recker

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Description

Imagine a banana’s foster treat in upside down cake form.

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Ingredients

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For the Topping:

• ½ cup butter 
• 1/3 cup brown sugar 
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• ¼ tsp ground cloves 
• 2 or 3 tbsp spiced rum 
• ½ cup raisins 
• 1 bananas (1 sliced lengthwise in half, and one sliced in rounds) 

For the Cake:

• 1 cup flour  
• 1 tsp baking powder  
• ½ tsp baking soda 
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon 
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg 
• 2 tsp ground ginger 
• Generous pinch of salt 
• 1/3 cup butter (room temperature) 
• ½ cup brown sugar  
• 1 tbsp molasses 
• 2 eggs (room temperature) 
• 1/2 cup whole milk 
• 2 tbsp spiced rum 

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Instructions

1. Remove butter and eggs from refrigerator and let them come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Oil a non-stick loaf pan. Cut a rectangle of parchment paper to line bottom.
3. Combine all topping ingredients except bananas in a saucepan. Stir gently with a spatula until butter is bubbling and all ingredients are well combined. Turn off heat and set aside.
4. Arrange the sliced bananas, flat sides down, on the parchment paper.
5. Pour the saucepan of butter, sugar, and raisins mixture over the bananas. Use the tip of a teaspoon to nudge raisins into any spaces not covered by bananas.
6. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix all cake ingredients together on medium speed until well combined. We use a whipping cage for this. Scrape the bowl down at least once.
7. Pour the cake batter over the bananas in the loaf pan. Spread it evenly with a spatula.
8. Bake for 35 minutes or until a wooden skewer emerges cleanly from the cake.
9. Remove the cake from the oven and place on cooling rack. Let it settle and cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
10. Place a platter over the loaf pan. Using oven mitts, place one hand on the platter and the other under the loaf pan. Flip quickly. The parchment paper should make removing the loaf pan very easy.
11. Carefully remove the parchment paper. Keep a table knife in one hand to scrape any raisin back into place.
12. Slice and serve while still warm with dollops of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.

Recipe by Keith Recker / Styling by Anna Franklin / Photography by Dave Bryce 

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