Banana Upside Down Cake

They say the original recipe comes from Brazil, and this cake is a very common find in Brazilian bakeries. But there is something in that caramelized banana topping that is reminiscent of the sweetened banana dessert from the Philippines, the one we use for our Banana con Yelo. Try this recipe to see and taste for yourself!

Ingredients for the topping:

1 cup brown sugar

5 ripe bananas

Ingredients for the cake batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 tsp baking powder

2 large eggs, separated

2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

Procedure for the topping:

1. In a small saucepan over low heat, pour in the brown sugar, stirring continuously. Once it caramelized, distribute evenly all over the bottom of a non-stick pan. Set aside and let it cool.

2.  Cut the bananas lengthwise and arrange them with minimum gaps (cut side down) over the dry caramel. Set aside.

Procedure for the cake batter:

1. Preheat the oven 180°C.

2. In a bowl, sift together the dry ingredients- flour, cornstarch and baking powder. Set aside.

3. In another bowl or on your electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and egg yolks.

4. To this, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk, mixing constantly on low speed.

5. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. With a spatula, fold the beaten egg whites to the batter.

6. Pour the cake batter carefully over the prepared baking pan with the caramel and banana layer.

7. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Make sure you’re inserting on the cake batter only and not on the bananas underneath.

8. Remove from oven. Let it cool a bit.

Flip the cake upside down on a serving dish while it is still a bit warm. Serve with a dash of whipped cream.

Cheers,

Jane