Banana Coffee Cake

So having indulged in a super low price on bananas, I had a couple bunches of nicely ripe bananas sitting on my counter. Therefore this week's recipe was dictated - banana.

But what? Banana muffins, banana cake, banana cookies... So many options, but only time for one.

I turned to my favorite baking tome, the Taste of Home Baking Book, and started flipping. I saw this recipe for Banana Coffee Cake, and it caught my eye. I had never actually done a coffee cake before (bizarre, I know), and this one seemed easy and yummy, and best of all I had everything on hand. Being me, I couldn't resist a few alterations - a nice streusel topping and a sweet icing - it didn't seem like a coffee cake without it.

The result? A soft, moist, tender cake with a little cinnamon kick and lots of yummy chewy pecan chunks. It reminded me of my mom's banana nut muffins - which were more a cake then a muffin, taken from an old banana bread recipe. A solid recipe which will go into my file for future reference.

Also excuse the lack of starting photos, I got distracted. But refer to my cookie recipes for more on the Creaming Method.

Banana Nut Coffee Cake
Adapted from Taste Of Home: Baking Book


Cake:
8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
4 oz Butter, softened (1 stick)
10 oz Sugar
2 Eggs
1 cup Banana, 3 medium ripe bananas pureed
1 tsp Vanilla
9 oz Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
2 oz Pecans, chopped

Topping:
4 oz Butter, softened (1 stick)
4 oz Brown Sugar
4 oz Flour
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
2 oz Pecans, chopped

Icing:
8 oz Powdered Sugar
2-4 tbsp Milk
1/2 tsp Vanilla

In the bowl of your mixer beat the butter on medium for a minute, then add cream cheese. When the mixture is beaten fairly smooth, add the sugar and cream until light and fluffy. Lightly beat eggs with vanilla, slowly add to the creamed mixture with mixer on low. Add the banana puree. Mix together flour, powder, soda, and cinnamon. Add to the bowl slowly, in stages, allowing it to incorporate before adding the next amount. On lowest speed add in pecans and allow to fully mix. Please do not overmix batter, will create a tough cake. Pour into a sprayed 9x13 pan, and spread evenly.

Now make your streusel topping. Cream together your butter and sugar, then add your flour and cinnamon all at once. Mix until the mixture becomes crumbly, then throw in the pecans. Sprinkle liberally over the top of the cake. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 min, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, then prepare your icing. Put your sugar in a bowl, then add your vanilla. Slowly whisk in milk until desired consistency, it will not take very much at all because you want a thick icing. Whisk until smooth. You can either put it in a piping bag (which I did) or drizzle it with a spoon.

Mmmmmm. Golden brown and delicious. 

Look how moist that is, and all those yummy pecans and that sweet icing...