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.

Elijo, One of my favourite cakes is a . It is a bit time consuming but well worth it. I even made this cake for my own 50th birthday last year. Home Cookin 4.9 Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table ================== This cake is from the 1984 Food and Wine Magazine. I have been making this cake for my DH's birthday since then. I have scanned the from the magazine that depict the assembling of this cake. It will make the written directions easier to follow. Genoise ************************************************************ Makes one 10 x 3 inch round layer 1 3/4 cps sifted all-purpose flour 8 eggs, at room temperature 1 1/4 cups sugar 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1/4 cup clarified butter, tepid Filling 1 cup heavy cream chilled 2 tablespoons confctioners sugar 1 tablespoon framboise, raspberry brandy 1 pint coarsely chopped strawberries sliced strawberries and fresh mint sprigs for garnish ************************************************************ Raspberry Syrup Recipe ************************************************************ 1/2 cup sugar 1 tablespoons framboise (raspberry brandy) In a small heavy saucepan, combine the sugar with 1/4 cup of water. Bring to boil over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the framboise. ************************************************************ . Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly butter a 10 inch springform pan. Cover the bottom with a round of parchment or waxed paper. Lightly butter the paper. dust the entire pan with flour; tap out any excess. Sift the flour two more times on a piece of waxed paper and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar and lemon zest. Set over - not in - a large saucepan filled one-quarter of the way with hot water. Warm over low heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is smooth and syrupy, with a deep yellow color and feels warm to the touch, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat. In a large mixer bowl, beat the warmed eggs and sugar at high speed until tripled in volume and holds a ribbon for a full 10 seconds after the beaters are lifed. (This will take 10 to 15 minutes if you are using a kitchenaide type mixer or 15 to 20 minutes with a hand beater.) Sprinkle half the flour on top of the beaten egg mixture. Using a balloon whisk, fold in the flour lightly but thoroughly, using scooping and swirling motions and lifting the whisk out of the mixture with each folding stroke. Pour the tepid butter on top and quickly fold it in, using the same motion. Spoon the remaining flour on top and fold in quickly and delicately, with a minimum number of strokes; too much folding will deflate the batter. Pour into the springform pan and tap once on the counter to help spread the batter evenly. Bake in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes to 45 minutes, until the cake is golden brown on top and a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and tranfer to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan. Invert to remove the bottom; peel off the waxed paper. Invert again to let the cake cook right-side up on a wire rack for 2 or 3 hours. If making ahead, wrap airtight in plastic and store in a cool dry place for up to three days or freeze. Hollow out the cake: Using a potlid or tart pan bottom as a guide, centre a 7 inch circle on top of the genoise and with the tip of a sharp knife, cut down 1 inch deep into the cake and cut around the circle. Insert the knife in the side of the cake 1 inch down from the top and swivel it back and forth, keeping the knife horizontal. The idea is to remove the 7 inch circle of cake from the top, leaving the sides of the cake intact. Carefully remove the top of the cake and with the cake cut side up, trim off enough of the cake to leave an even layer of 1/2 inch thick. Cut this round into 8 wedges and reserve. Place the genoise shell on a large serving platter. Carefully hollow out the inside with a knife, leaving a 1/2 inch layer on the sides and a 1 inch layer on the bottom. Cut the insides pieces roughly into 1/2 inch cubes and place them in a medium bowl. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the rasperry syrup on top and toss to moisten. Brush the insides of the genoise shell with the remaining Raspberry Syrup, dabbing generously on the sides and lightly on the bottom. Do not moisten the wedges. In a large bowl, beat the cream with 1 tablespoon of the confectioners sugar and the framboise until soft peaks form. Fold in the chopped strawberries and the moistened cubes of cake. Spoon this filling into the genoise shell, spreading it into an even layer. Arrange the wedges of cake decoratively on top, in a spiral pattern with the points meeting in the middle. For decoration, slice whole strawberries almost through to stem and fan out. Place one on the edge under each wedge and a couple in the middle. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and a some sprigs of mint.

I've made this one several times, each time it's a hit! You ever had Starbucks Classic Coffee Cake? This is that recipe! Yes it is! -Topping- 1 c flour (all purpose) 1 c light brown sugar packed 1/2 c butter softened 1tsp cinnamon 1/2 c chopped pecans -cake- 1 cup butter softened 3/4 c light brown sugar packed 1/2 c sugar 2 eggs 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/3 c milk preheat oven 325° Make topping by combining flour w/brown sugar, stick of butter and cinnamon in medium bowl. Mixture should have consistency of moist sand. Add pecans. In large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, sugar w/mixer til smooth and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla and mix well. In a Separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt. Add dry mixture to moist ingredients, a little at a time. Add milk and mix well. Spoon batter into 9 x 13 pan, buttered and dusted with light coating of flour. Sprinkle crumb topping over batter, be sure topping completely covers batter. Bake cake for 50 mins or until edges begin to turn light brown. Cool and slice. Serves 8

Is the recipe you mean by the base? It's from the University of Illinois Extension. How to Make a Friendship Cake Starter There are a least a hundred versions of the starter and the resulting bread or cake recipe going around. There is one with fruit, one with nuts, one made with whole wheat flour and raisins and the list goes on and on. Here is one method for starting the starter. Friendship Cake Starter Recipe 1 package active dry yeast 3 cups warm water (105° to 115°F), divided 2 cups all purpose flour, sifted 2 tablespoons sugar Starter food Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water, stirring well; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly. Combine remaining water, flour and sugar in a medium size, non-metallic bowl; mix well. Add dissolved yeast and stir well. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or cheesecloth and let stand in a warm place (80°-85°F) three days, stirring 2-3 times daily. Place fermented mixture in refrigerator at this point. Stir daily and use within 11 days. Always bring starter to room temperature before using in cake recipe. Allow to set in a warm place for one hour or longer before using. Stir well, then measure amount needed for recipe. Or on day 10 divide the mixture. Measure two to three cups starter for recipe. Divide remaining starter into one cup portions. Place in plastic or glass containers, loosely cover with plastic wrap. Keep one cup for yourself and give one cup each to friends along with the "Nurturing Your Starter" instructions and cake recipe. Nurturing Your Starter Starter Food--Your starter should have a sweet yeasty smell. If at any time you notice signs of spoilage toss the starter and begin again. Do not add milk, cream, or eggs to starter or it may produce harmful bacteria. Day #1 -- The day your receive your 1 cup of starter, stir the mixture with a wooden spoon, let it sit on a counter, loosely covered with crumpled plastic wrap or wax paper for one day. Do not refrigerate at this point. Use a nonmetallic container. Day #2, 3, 4 -- Refrigerate, stir the mixture each day, keep loosely covered. Day #5 -- Transfer starter to a larger glass or ceramic jar or bowl. Add the following "starter food." 1 cup water 1 cup flour 1 cup sugar Stir to mix, cover loosely and return batter to the refrigerator. Mixture will expand. Your container should not be more than half full. Refrigerate the starter at this point. Day #6, 7, 8, 9 -- Stir only and keep refrigerated, loosely covered. Day # 10 -- You may need to transfer the batter to an even larger container. Add more starter food and stir. Allow starter to sit at room temperature for one hour. Remove 3 cup for three friends, and measure 3 cups for the following recipe. Note: If you keep a cup for yourself, start over, beginning with Day #1. Fruit & Nuts Friendship Cake 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 cup sugar 2 cups all purpose flour 2/3 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons baking powder 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup chopped apples 3 cups starter 1 cup raisins or chopped nuts 1 egg plus 2 egg whites Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, set aside. In another large bowl mix starter, egg and whites, sugar, oil and vanilla. Add flour mixture, apples and raisins or nuts. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan or 9 x 11 loaf pan. Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes. Cool, dust with powdered sugar. Note: Any combination of fruit and nuts can be used as long as the total equals 2 cups. Try crushed, drained pineapples, dates, pecans, or almonds.