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DV Home Cooking: Westchester Rabbi Bakes Up Memories With Mom's Banana Cake

BRIARCLIFF MANOR, N.Y. -- DV Home Cooking is devoted to readers and their recipes. All we ask is that you're a home cook, not a professional chef. Got a favorite dish you want to share? Send it, along with the story behind it, to DVHomeCooking@dailyvoice.com.

Rabbi Steve Kane loves making banana cake.

Rabbi Steve Kane loves making banana cake.

Photo Credit: Submitted

Home Cook: Rabbi Steve Kane, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.

"When I was growing up my favorite fruit (as it is today) was the banana. We always had fresh bananas in our house. We loved bananas in our cereal, with cottage cheese (or even better with sour cream!), and of course with ice cream and chocolate sauce. When we wanted a snack my mother would often say, "how about a banana?" 

But once in a while my siblings and I failed to eat the bananas before they began to turn overripe. Who wanted, after all, a mushy banana? But when that would occur my mother, who couldn't stand the idea of food going to waste, would take the mushy bananas and make a banana cake, which of course we loved. Best of all was the chocolate frosting, which if we were there when she made it meant we were each given a spoonful of that delicious chocolate treat.

Over the years banana cake has become one of our family's staples for desert. It has been served for dessert at our Sabbath and holiday dinners, eaten for breakfast the following day (delicious with the first cup of coffee of the day) and even been sent off to college when birthdays were being celebrated far away. My mother, Gladys Kane, passed away last March 9, and so now when we make this delicious recipe, we not only enjoy its taste but also the sweet memories it brings back. "

Recipe: Banana Cake

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 Ripe bananas (the riper the better)
  • 1 1/2 cups Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Butter or margarine
  • 2 Large eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup Orange juice (no pulp)
  • 1/2 tsp Baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp. Baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp, Canilla

Instructions: 

  • Mash the bananas and margarine/butter until thoroughly combined. 
  • Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. 
  • Bake at 350 degrees for at least 30 minutes, until the top is brown and a toothpick is clean. A bundt pan or a rectangular 10' by 12' can be used.
  • Let cake cool.

Chocolate Frosting 

Ingredients:

  • 2 to 2 1/4 cups Powdered sugar.
  • 2 T Cocoa
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla
  • 2-3 T Butter or margarine
  • Up to 3 T of water or coffee until proper consistency

Instructions:

  • Mix by hand until smooth and creamy. 
  • Be careful not to add too much liquid. Once cake is cool, add frosting.

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