Banana Bundt Cake

This Banana Bundt Cake recipe is compliments of Dorie Greenspan but I also adapted it from the blog Lottie and Doof. I've told you how amazing Dorie is in other blog posts, so there is no need to reiterate myself, but come on people - you need to try out one of her MANY amazing recipes!

This is a good one to try out because it uses a lot of pantry ingredients except for maybe the sour cream. I know all of you have bananas turning brown in your fruit bowl as we speak - don't lie. That's the best time to use them for this recipe - they will make your cake even sweeter! The addition of sour cream in this recipe is what makes it a cake and not bread to me. You can really taste it's tanginess - it's great! That, combined with a concentrated banana flavor, is intense to say the least.

When you start mixing the ingredients together you will notice there is a lot of batter but not to worry. It will fit in the Bundt pan just fine and nothing will bubble over. Feel free to place your Bundt pan on a cookie sheet when placing it in the oven if you are worried. Wait until you smell this cake baking away in the oven - your whole house will smell nice and cozy!

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks (8oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
4 very ripe bananas, mashed (1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups) - I used 2 cups total
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Generously butter a 9 or 10 inch (12 cup) Bundt pan. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat at medium speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each egg goes in. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the bananas. Finally, mix in half of the dry ingredients (don't be disturbed when the batter curdles), all of the sour cream and then the rest of the dry ingredients. Scrape the batter into the pan, rap the pan on the counter to de-bubble the batter and smooth the top.

Bake for 65-75 minutes (mine took about 65 minutes exactly), or until a thin knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Check the cake after about 30 minutes - if it is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil tent. Transfer the cake to a rack to cool for 10 minutes before unmolding onto the rack to cool completely.

If you've got the time, wrap the cooled cake in plastic and allow it to sit on the counter overnight before serving - it's better the next day. Makes 14 servings.

This is a great cake to have for breakfast. I use the term "cake" loosely because if it has fruit in it and does not have frosting - I constitute it as a delicious morning treat! Tutti Mangia!