Banana Almond Cake

Photo: flickr user yomi955

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter or margarine - (¼ lb)

1/2 cup brown sugar - (firmly packed)

5 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup sliced almonds

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 lrg eggs

2 teaspoons grated orange peel

2 3/4 cups mashed ripe banana

10 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

5 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup buttermilk

Preparation

Melt 1/4 cup of the butter. Pour 2 tablespoons of the melted butter into an 8-cup bundt pan; brush the butter over pan sides and bottom. Mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and almonds. Sprinkle bottom of pan with half the brown sugar mixture; combine the remaining mixture with the remaining melted butter; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat remaining 1/4 cup butter with granulated sugar until blended. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended. Beat in orange peel and banana.

Mix all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add to banana mixture along with the buttermilk; stir until well blended.

Pour half the batter into prepared pan. Spoon remaining brown sugar mixture evenly over top; cover with remaining batter.

Bake in a 350 degrees oven until a long wood skewer inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool the cake on a rack about 5 minutes, then invert cake onto a serving plate. Serve the cake warm or cool.

This recipe yields 12 servings.

Comments: A bag of ripe bananas inspired Jan McHargue to create this coffee cake. You can enjoy the banana cake with its spicy brown sugar-almond topping and filling for brunch, with coffee, or for dessert.