Hearty Banana Cake: Fried Bananas

Baked goods that include bananas have a tendency to be too, well, gooey and sunken.  I can't tell you how many times I've been disappointed upon opening the oven and finding a tacky, sunken banana muffin or loaf.

But this great recipe has enough cake to hold up to the bananas.  This banana-filled cake with just the right banana-cake ratio is a sturdy yet moist breakfast cake or lunchtime dessert treat!

On a related banana-note, check out "Fried Bananas" played by tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon.  Sorry, I don't have a fried banana recipe!

HEARTY BANANA CAKE

½ cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup wheat flour

2 tablespoons wheat germ

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ teaspoons baking powder

4 large ripe bananas

TOPPING

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1. Put butter and sugar in a large bowl.  With electric mixer, beat together until creamy.
2. Add eggs and beat on low speed until blended.
3. In a small bowl, combine all-purpose flour, wheat flour, wheat germ, salt and baking powder.  Add to butter mixture and stir together with a fork.
4. Peel bananas and put on a large plate.  With a fork, mash the bananas into large chunks. 
5. Add bananas and stir gently to incorporate them into the batter.
6. Grease a 9-inch x 13-inch glass baking pan.  Spoon the batter into the pan, gently spreading the batter to the edges.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
8. In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients.  Just before baking, sprinkle topping over the batter.
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the cake.