OLLI’s Secret Recipes – Deni’s Banana Birthday Cake

This special cake comes from the our lovely OLLI assistant’s past. “Mom loved making my siblings and I our favorite cake each year of childhood. I wanted this same one every year and the taste still brings back those fond memories.”

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Banana Cake:

• 2 1/4 C Flour
• 1 1/4 C Sugar
• 2 1/2 t Baking Powder
• 1/2 t Baking Soda
• 1/2 t Salt
• 1/2 C Soft Shortening
• 2 Eggs (unbeaten)
• 4-5 Very Ripe Bananas – Mashed (1 Cup)
• 1 t Vanilla
  

1. Into a large bowl put flour, sugar, baking powder, soda,  and salt. Drop in shortening and eggs and add 1/2 cup of mashed bananas.
2. Mix the contents at medium speed for 2 minutes.
3. Add the remaining bananas and vanilla, and beat the mixture for one minute.
4. Pour it all into a greased and floured oblong cake pan.
5. Bake 25 to 35 minutes at 375 degrees until toothpick in center comes out clean. Let it cool on a rack.

Caramel Frosting:

• 1 Stick (1/2 C) Butter
• 1 C Brown Sugar (packed)
• 1/4 C Milk
• 1 3/4 to 2 C Sifted Powdered Sugar

1. Melt butter in saucepan.
2. Add brown sugar. Boil over low heat stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
3. Add milk. Stir until mixture comes to a boil.
4. Remove from heat and cool.
5. Slowly add powdered sugar, beating well with spoon after each addition until thick enough to spread over cooled cake.

– submitted by Deni Harris

If that recipe sparked your interest, and how could it not, then you can call the OLLI office at 928-717-7634 to order a cookbook. For a limited time, you can purchase the cookbooks for only $5. That’s 50% off the original price; what a deal, and remember that all proceeds support the OLLI organization you know and love!