It happens with every bunch of bananas I buy; there seems to one or two that just aren’t eaten before they go from pretty yellow bananas to brown spotted and smelly…you know, you probably have a few of them lurking in your fruit bowl Most times I will peel and freeze these bananas because they are perfect for making all kinds of good things.
Today I need a cake quick, so I reached into the cupboard for a boxed cake mix; I usually have a hard time doing such a thing, but here goes. I’m using my free Raley’s Grocery Store brand cake they sent me along with a cool little whisk from their Try-It Program, Vanilla Bean Yellow Cake, it sounds yummy. The mix makes an 8″ x 8″ cake which is a perfect size to go into my pan.
But wait, I still have that black spotty banana to use up, so here’s my plan, mash up the banana and add some left over caramel to the batter. Now that sounds good. I just can’t leave well enough alone, but this shows you how to get in your fridge and cupboards and create something unique. I just don’t like throwing food away. So here I could have added so many other leftovers and bits and pieces. The possibilities are endless.
The set up for this cake is easy. The directions on the box calls for a melted stick of butter, 1 cup of milk and two eggs. Easy! After mixing the batter, I added the mashed banana and stirred it in. This cake mix is full of vanilla beans which I love, I think they should be in everything..
Now the fun part. I have been wanting to bake something in my vintage Echo baking pan. I love all the flutes in it, so I heavily oiled and floured this baby so the cake will slide right out, I’m keeping my fingers crossed on this.
I put half the batter in the pan then drizzled in some caramel, (about 3 tbls.) and swirled it around, then added the rest of the batter and caramel again. I’m baking at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
I decided that more caramel was needed, but this time something homemade. Here is the microwave caramel recipe to drizzle over the top of the cake. Double the recipe and put some in the fridge for later when you are having ice cream, or add it into some frosting, I may drizzle it on some pancakes this Sunday.
Microwave Caramel
2 tbls butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
In a large microwavable bowl, melt the butter on for about 45-50 seconds. Add in the brown sugar and cream. Stir to mix. Microwave for about 2 minutes until bubbly and slightly thickened. Stir halfway through. Let cool before drizzling on cake.
This cake tastes amazing. I don’t think anyone would guess it came from a box mix and I’m not telling. The one banana added just enough flavor and moistness to the cake, but didn’t make it overwhelming. I love the little specks of vanilla beans, they have a bit of a crunch and pack some great flavor too. I really love this cake. I’m definitely using this cake mix again.
Leave a Reply