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    Home > Blog Index

    Published: May 11, 2015 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments

    Fruit Basket Banana Cake

    Fruit Basket Banana CakeBananas, strawberries and pineapple team up to make the Fruit Basket Banana Cake. It  is the perfect cake if you are looking for something light but with lots of flavor and it is a great summertime dessert.

    The banana cake is one I worked on for a while.  Most banana cakes are heavy and I wanted one that was lighter but still had plenty of banana flavor.  It is unusual in that it uses both oil and butter.  Other than that, it is a straight forward, easy to make banana cake. The cake also makes great cupcakes with a browned butter buttercream.

    The pastry cream is lightened with a bit of whipped cream.  Crushed pineapple is folded in and after it is spread between the layers, strawberries cover the cream.  The Fruit Basket Banana Cake is finished in whipped cream with a piped lattice design on top.

    how to bake better custard
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    Baking gets better when you subscribe to receive this PDF on getting the most out of baking including information on equipment, ingredients and baking equipment.

    Pastry Cream - see https://europeantarts.com/2012/08/05/pastry-cream/ for how to photos
    1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
    1 tablespoon cold water
    1 cup milk
    3 egg yolks
    ½ cup sugar (100 grams or 3 ½ ounces)
    3 tablespoons flour
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Soften the gelatin in the water and set aside.

    In a small saucepan, heat the milk until very hot but not boiling.

    Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a non-reactive saucepan. Whisk in the flour. Add the milk slowly, whisking well and scraping the corners of the pan with a rubber spatula to make sure all of the egg yolk mixture is incorporated. Place on top of a double boiler, whisking constantly. Heat until very hot and beginning to thicken. Remove from the top of the double boiler and place directly over heat. Whisk constantly until it comes to a boil; cook for 1 minute.

    Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Tear the gelatin into small pieces and whisk into the hot liquid until completely incorporated. Transfer to a bowl. Cover directly with film, cool to room temperature then refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

    Banana CakeIngredients2 cups sifted cake flour (200 grams or 7 ounces)
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    ¾ teaspoon baking powder
    ¼ teaspoon salt
    1 cup banana puree – about 2 large bananas (225 grams or 8 ounces)
    ⅓ cup buttermilk
    ⅓ cup oil
    ½ cup butter, softened (1 stick or 115 grams or 4 ounces)
    1 ¼ cups sugar (250 grams or 8 ¾ ounces)
    2 eggs

    Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line two 9x2 inch cake pans with parchment.

    Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

    Puree the bananas in a blender or processor.  Measure to make 1 cup.Bananas in blenderPureed bananasAdd the buttermilk and oil. Oil and Buttermilk inMix well.Banana ingred. mixed

    Cream the butter and sugar until combined. Butter sugar combinedAdd the eggs, one at a time.  Egg inEggs mixed in Alternate the flour and puree, starting with flour. Flour in

    Flour in 2Flour in 3Add the puree.Banana in 1Banana 1 inRepeat with the flour 2nd flour in2nd flour mixed inand puree once more.2nd banana inFinally add the remainder of the flour.  3rd flour inScrape down and mix well.  Batter mixed wellDivide equally between the 2 pans (475 grams or 16 ½ ounces).Scaling 1Scaled

    Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the center springs back when lightly touched and the layers are an even medium golden brown.Baked layers

    Filling and Assembly
    l recipe pastry cream (from above)
    ⅓ cup 40% whipping cream, beaten very stiff
    ½ cup very well drained crushed pineapple
    l pint strawberries, sliced thickly

    Remove the pastry cream from the refrigerator.  Remove the plastic wrap.  Pastry cream from coolerStir it to loosen it up a bit.  Stir to loosenPlace whipped cream on top of the pastry creamWhipped cream on pastry cream and fold together until smooth. Folding cream 1Folding cream 2Folded pastry cream and whipping creamSqueeze the remaining liquid from the pineapple. Fold in the crushed pineapple.

    For how to photos of the next part, please see Carrot Cake Cheesecake. 

    Place l layer of banana cake in a 9 inch cheesecake pan. Spread ⅔ of pineapple mixture onto the layer. Place strawberries within ½ inch of edge of filling. Spread remainder of pastry cream over strawberries. Place the second layer of cake over filling.   Press down lightly. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.

    Whipped Cream FrostingWhipped cream ingredients2 ½ cups 40% cream
    ¾ cup unsifted powder sugar, sifted (95 grams or 3 ¼ ounces)
    1 teaspoon vanilla

    Whip cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until firm.Whipped cream 1Whipped cream

    Release the sides of the pan by placing on a can and moving the sides down. Filled cakeSee Carrot Cake Cheesecake for how to photos.  Spread cream over sides of cake.  Because this  cake is not undercoated, use enough to enclose the sides well.Spreading cream over side of cakeNext finish the top, leaving enough cream for decoration.   Frosting cake 1Frosting cake 3Frosting cake 4Smooth the sides of the cake with a bench scraperSmooth the sides of the cakeand then smooth the top. using a large off set spatula.  Scrape the excess cream towards the center lifting the spatula as you go.  Continue in this manner around the top.  Smoothing top 1Smoothing top 8Frosting cake 9Smoothing tp 11Comb the sides of the cake.Combing sides With a number 1 or 2 plain tip and make a lattice design on top of cake to within ½ inch of the top edge.Lattice 1Lattice 2Finish edges with #4 closed star tip.Finishing top edge

    Refrigerate until serving. May be made, assembled and refrigerated overnight.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kere Griffin says

      February 17, 2023 at 7:42 pm

      Hi Helen
      I am planning on making this for a birthday cake, however I am intending to use a 11.5-12 inch cake tin 2in high. Would this quantity be OK for one tin of this size. If so, i will make the mix twice and cook them one at a time as I only have one tin this size.
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Helen S Fletcher says

        February 23, 2023 at 10:54 am

        Hi Kere - Yes, this would make one layer. A 12" pan is exactly double the size of the 9". You can find all about pan size conversions on my post, Pan Size Conversions

        Reply
    2. mybobba1Mari says

      May 15, 2015 at 7:02 am

      Does this freeze?

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        May 15, 2015 at 4:50 pm

        Ny only concern would be the strawberry layer. Everything else would freeze fine. I have never frozen this so I can't say for certain. If you freeze it, please let us know..

        Reply
    3. Alanna Kellogg says

      May 11, 2015 at 11:15 am

      Love-love-love the simplicity of the white-on-white top! Your bananas don’t look particularly ripe, presumably this is by Helen-design?

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        May 12, 2015 at 12:38 am

        Thanks Alanna. The bananas were very ripe as in if I don't use them today they will be black. I don't like them to lose their texture and become mushy. Just a personal thing. My grandson loved his bananas much riper than these, s I guess it's to each his own.

        Reply
    4. Marjie says

      May 11, 2015 at 10:35 am

      This cake looks delicious. I can hardly wait to make it! Thanks for all your detailed pictures and directions for decorating this cake. Most of all, thanks for sharing your amazing talents of baking and decorating!!!

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        May 12, 2015 at 12:41 am

        Thank you Marje. As a curious person all my life, I hope to convey each recipe in a manner that anyone can make it - I hope.

        Reply
    5. Manisha says

      May 11, 2015 at 10:18 am

      Hi Helen,

      Love it! You know about my last banana cake combo which was loved by people. Will surely give your banana cake recipe a try.

      Love

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        May 12, 2015 at 12:42 am

        Hi Manisha - I loved your last combo. I think you will enjoy this one also.

        Reply
    6. Aparecida Buratto Barbosa says

      May 11, 2015 at 7:39 am

      Helen you is a wonderful chef, I love your recipes.

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        May 12, 2015 at 12:43 am

        Thank you Aparecida - I appreciate hearing from you.

        Reply

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