Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Banana Crunch Cake with Praline Topping

Don’t ask me why (really, I mean it, don’t ask) I think of banana cake at Easter time. I know, I know, the Easter bunny eats carrots (Well, who knows? He may eat bananas as well.), and carrot cake seems to be the norm, but today I made a banana cake, and it is sensational! Seriously, I think this kicks carrot cake to the curb (Except for my Secret Ingredient Carrot Cake, of course!). It would work equally well at your Easter brunch or dinner, and the beauty of this cake is that it needs to be made the day ahead of serving. It tastes just fine and is certainly serve-worthy shortly after baking, but the flavors have a chance to meld if left to set at least eight hours.

While it needs to be made ahead, it also doesn’t keep well, so if it isn’t completely consumed the following day, put it in the freezer. It will last, frozen, for up to three months.
Obviously, this isn’t your normal banana cake if you take a look at the spices and flavorings, but the topping is what truly makes it out of this world! The secret ingredient is Melissa’s Clean Snax. Not only does it pack a nutritional wallop, but the delightful flavor and intense crunch make this praline topping incredibly good. Melissa’s has a wide variety of flavors of Clean Snax, including banana and cacao, but I did not want a trace of chocolate flavor in this cake, so went with almond. If you want to kick up the spice a bit, try their Hatch Chile Clean Snax (it’s impossible to stop eating, be warned.)
Banana Crunch Cake with Praline Topping

3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 large bananas, mashed
¼ cup peanut butter
1½ tablespoons
rum extract
1 large egg
1¼ cups of flour
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon cloves
¼ cup pecans, chopped

Praline Topping

¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
¼ cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 tablespoons milk
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup
Melissa’s Almond Clean Snax, chopped
¼ cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour (or spray with Baker’s Joy) a 9” x 9” pan.

Cream sugar, butter, and bananas until smooth. Beat in rum extract and egg.

Blend dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl; add to wet mixture alternately with buttermilk.

Pour mixture into prepared pan, smoothing top, and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until top is golden brown, cake has pulled away from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick tests clean. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Praline Topping


Bring butter and sugar to a boil in a medium/large sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for one minute or until slightly thickened. Allow to cool 10 minutes. Whisk in milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Fold in Clean Snax and pecans, and pour over the top of cooled cake.

Allow cake to set, uncovered, at room temperature for eight hours or overnight before serving. This cake does not keep well, so it if it isn’t consumed the following day, freeze for up to three months.

A not-as-sweet banana loaf is my grandmother’s Banana Date Nut Bread, a delicious family tradition.




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9 comments:

sandy said...

THIS LOOKS SO GOOD!! I'd be afraid to have this in the house - i would eat the whole thing. Gotta show "my cook" this recipe.

Debbie - Mountain Mama said...

Wow, Pattie, this looks amazing! I haven't been baking lately (too busy in the garden) but this has to go on my future baking projects list!!

Zaa said...

OMG ..I just can't imagine anything as delicious as this with a Praline topping ( Yummy) You really do come up with some exciting recipes ..This is a keeper....Wishing you a Blessed Easter ..Hugs

Thelma said...

This banana cake looks sooo delicious. I just make it. Thanks for sharing.

Linda said...

Oh man, that praline topping looks wonderful. I wish Melissa's would hire you as their chef!

Alycia Nichols said...

Hush UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Miz Helen said...

Oh my goodness, this will be a very special treat! Thanks so much for sharing your post with us this week and hope you have a very special weekend!
Miz Helen

The Liberty Belle said...

Now, THIS is my kind of cake! Thanks for sharing. I added your blog to my 'favorites' and plan to visit often.

Miz Helen said...

Congratulations!
Your post is one of our Top Ten Post this week on Full Plate Thursday. Thanks so much for sharing it with us and come back soon!
Miz Helen