Tennessee Banana-Black Walnut Cake with Caramel Frosting courtesy Paula Deen Yield: 12 servings Cake: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs 2 ripe bananas, mashed 1/4 cup buttermilk 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup chopped black walnuts* Frosting: 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more as necessary 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1 (16-ounce) box confectioners sugar 2 cups finely chopped black walnuts, for garnish (optional)* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans. For the cake: In a medium bowl, stir together flour and baking soda; set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream together shortening and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add flour mixture, mix until just combined. Stir in black walnuts. Pour into prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in pans on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare frosting. Melt butter in small saucepan. Add brown sugar and 1/3 cup cream. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Transfer to a large bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat in confectioners' sugar a little at a time until smooth. If frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon heavy cream at a time until consistency is right. Sandwich 2 layers of cake with frosting. Frost the outside of the cake. Press chopped black walnuts on the sides of the cake, if desired. *Cook's Note: DO NOT substitute English walnuts for black walnuts. BANANA SPICE CAKE Yield: 12 servings Bananas, pecans and currants give rich flavor to this recipe. Baking 1 hrs. 20 min. 3/4 cup currants or raisins 1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur or orange juice 1 1/4 cups sugar 1 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, melted* 2 eggs 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange peel 2 teaspoons vanilla 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 3 medium bananas, peeled, chopped 1/2-inch 3/4 cup chopped pecans Topping Ingredients: Vanilla ice cream, if desired Caramel sauce, if desired Instructions: Heat oven to 325°F. Combine currants and orange liqueur in small bowl; let soak 30 minutes. Drain well. Set aside. Combine sugar, butter, eggs, orange peel and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves. Beat until well mixed. Stir in soaked currants, bananas and pecans by hand. Spoon into greased and floured 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 80 to 90 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove sides of pan. Cool completely. (Cake may dip slightly in center upon cooling.) Top each serving of cake with ice cream and drizzle with caramel sauce, if desired. *Substitute LAND O LAKES® Soft Baking Butter with Canola Oil. Calories: 330 Banana Cake Cockaigne Adapted from Joy of Cooking Grease and flour 2 round cake pans (8 or 9 inch) or one 9X13 inch rectangular pan. I usually line pans with waxed paper before I grease and flour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Mash two ripe bananas, or enough to make one cup. Add 1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream (fat free is OK) ot buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla Sift together: 2 1/4 cups flour (Cake flour) 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt Cream in a large mixing bowl: 1 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup butter Add 2 eggs, one at a time, Add the flour mixture, alternating with the banana puree, STIR until smooth after each addition. ( DO NOT OVER MIX...THINK MOISTEN) Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and bake at 350 until the cake springs back when touched, about 30 to 40 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if serving warm or frost with a chocolate frosting, mock whipped cream frosting. or a cream cheese frosting. I make it with the Mock Whipped Cream Frosting and sprinkle the filling and top with a crushed Heath Bar. Mock Whiipped Cream Frosting Ingredients: 2/3 cup milk 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 2/3 cup sugar 2/3 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened 1/2 teaspoon vanilla combine milk, 2 tablespoons flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil (4 to 6 minutes). Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Cover surface with plastic food wrap; cool completely (1 hour). Beat 2/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in large bowl at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Continue beating, gradually adding cooled flour mixture and scraping bowl often, until light and fluffy. Frost cooled cake. Banana Cake Mocha Frosting: 6c powdered sugar 1/2c cocoa 1/2c butter, softened 1/2c brewed strong coffee Sift powdered sugar and cocoa` together. Add softened butter and mix on very low speed till incorporated. Add coffee and beat till smooth.

Hi there! I just came across this cooking forum as I'm usually spending free time browsing the gardening forums. Anyway I seen you are looking for somthing to do your old bananas and thought you might like to try this one. Kids and DH like it just as much or even better than my Pumpkin Roll. Banana Roll: 3 eggs 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. vanilla 3/4 cup flour 2/3 cup mashed bananas 1 tsp. banana flavoring mix all ingredients together until well blended Filling: 8 oz. cream cheese softened 1 cup powdered sugar 3/4 tsp. vanilla 2 tbls. butter beat together until fluffy Spray jelly roll pan with cooking spray and cover with a sheet of parchment paper leaving enough of an edge to grasp. Pour batter into pan and spread out evenly to all sides. At this point you may sprinkle with finely chopped nuts, totally optional. Bake @ 375 for 15 min. Remove from oven and turn upside down on a clean kitchen toewl dusted with powdered sugar. Carefully remove paper and roll up lengthwise. Let set until cool to the touch. When cake is cool, unroll and remove towel. Spread filling to the edges and reroll. Wrap in more parchment paper and then aluminum foil and chill overnight. Cut cake into desired size slices to serve.

Very tried & true: STRAWBERRY NUT BREAD (2 loaves) 3 cups flour 1 tsp bakind soda 1 TBL cinnamon 2 cups sugar 3 eggs, beaten 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 cup vegetable oil Grated zest of 1 lemon 3 cups chopped strawberries 3/4 cup chopped pecans Preheat oven to 350°. Grease & flour two 9" loaf pans. In a large bowl, combine the flour & baking soda & stir until the soda is well distributed. Add the cinnamon & sugar. Mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla, oil & lemon zest. Spoon the strawberries into the liquid ingredients & stir gently to coat them. Add this mixture in batches to the dry ingredients, incorporating by hand. Fold in the nuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pans & bake 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Allow loaves to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. Do not slice until ready to serve.~~ Delicisous Decisions APRICOT WALNUT TEA BREAD ( 1 loaf) 1 cup dried apricots 1 1/2 cups boiling water 2 1/2 cups flour 1 TBL baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9" loaf pan. Cut the apricots into small pieces & place in a bowl. Add the boiling water; set aside to cool. Sift the flour, baking powder & salt & set aside. In a large bowl, combine the egg, vanilla, sugar & oil; beat until blended. Gradually add the apricot mixture, beating constantly. Add the flour mixture & beat until smooth. Stir in the nuts. Scrape the dough into the prepared pan. Bake 1 hour. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then loosen with spatulas & transfer to a rack. Cool. Wrap in foil & store in the refrigerator at least 12 hours before serving.~~ A Bountiful Arbor You might like this one also: HONEY BREAD (2 loaves) 3 1/2 cups flour 1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar 1 TBL baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ground allspice 1 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp nutmeg 4 eggs 1 1/2 cups honey 4 TBL butter, melted 1 cup black coffee 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup raisins (I leave these out) Preheat oven to 350°. Grease & flour two 9" loaf pans. In a large bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, cloves & nutmeg. Stir with a whisk until well mixed. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, honey, butter & coffee. Blend the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring just until mixed. Fold in the nuts & raisins. Pour the batter into the prepared pans & bake 1 hour. Cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes then turn out onto a rack.~~ Celebrate Miami BLUEBERRY LEMON BREAD ( 1 loaf) 1 1/2 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 6 TBL butter 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs 2 TBL lemon zest 1/2 cup whole milk 1 1/2 cups blueberries Glaze: 1/3 cups guar 3 TBL fresh lemon juice Preheat oven to 325°. Butter & flour an 8 1/2x4 1/2" loaf pan. Combine the flour, baking powder & salt & set aside. In another bowl, cream the butter & 1 1/2 cups sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs; beat well. Add the lemon zest. Add the dry ingredients alternating with the milk. Fold in the blueberries. Pour into the prepared loaf pan & bake for about 1 hour & 15 minutes or until golden brown. For the glaze: Mix the sugar & lemon juice in a saucepan & bring to a boil. Poke holes in the bread with a toothpick & pour the glaze over the bread. Cool for 30 minutes.~~Maine Ingredients

Just posted this on the Cooking Forum. It is very moist due to the oil and the pineapple. Hawaiian Pineapple Banana Bread 3 cups flour 2 cups sugar 1 t. baking soda 1 t. cinnamon 3/4 t. salt 1 cup chopped pecans 3 eggs, beaten 1 cup vegetable oil 2 cups mashed bananas (about 5) 2 t. vanilla extract 1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in nuts. Combine wet ingredients in another bowl. Mix wet ingredients into the bowl of the dry ingredients. Mix just until all is moistened. Put into two greased and floured regular (8.5") loaf pans. Bake for 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees. Cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes then turn out onto a rack and cool completely. Makes two loaves. Source: my friend Belinda Grady Teresa