Coconut Orange Banana Cake 🍊

🥥 A Coconut Orange Banana Cake🍌

    There is just something about a coconut and banana combination that makes me think summer or tropical.  Add some orange zest for flavor and you get a “WOW” taste, and then anytime you bake a cake, well that just makes any dinner or gathering all that much more special, think the Sesame Street song, “If I Knew You Were Coming I’d Have Baked a Cake.”  Sooooo, here you go!  Over the years, I have tried many very good and different banana bread and cake recipes.  Here is the result of a little tinkering with a variety of recipes and the substitution with a few of my favorite ingredients. If you are celebrating a birthday in your family, bingo, here you go (again).  If you just feel like baking a cake to have to enjoy for your people and have on display on the counter in a cake dome, well here you go again (thirdly).  A recipe like this may just cause you to say…

It’s a Great Day 🍊

Ingredients

Cake

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

3 ripe bananas mashed

1/2 cup coconut oil (melted-in liquid form, melt in microwave for just a few seconds)

2 extra large eggs (at room temp easily done in a bowl of warm water if you are in a hurry)

1/2 cup strained yogurt (otherwise known as Greek yogurt)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

grated zest of 1 orange

2 cups unbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting

6 ounces Neufchâtel Cheese (1/3 less fat cream cheese)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Grated zest of 1 orange

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a 9 inch round cake pan.
2. Using an mixer blend the mashed bananas and sugars.  When combined  on low add the coconut oil eggs, one at a time, yogurt, vanilla and orange zest.  Mix until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl sift or whisk unbleached flour, salt and baking soda.  with the mixer still on low, add flour mixture a little at a time, only mixing until just combined.  Stir in the walnuts if you choose to use walnuts.
4. Pour the batter in to the buttered/floured cake pan.  Tap the filled cake pan on your counter to settle the batter a few times before placing in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes.  check with a tooth pick and bake a few more minutes if toothpick does not come clean.  Remember to re-set the timer so cake does not burn.
5. Cool cake in the pan on a rack for about 10 minutes and then turn out onto rack.  Let cool completely before frosting the cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Place the cream cheese, unsalted butter (softened to room temp or warmed in   the microwave for about 7 seconds) and vanilla, on low until just combined with the paddle attachment.  DO NOT whip.
2. Gradually add the powdered sugar a little at a time and mix until smooth.
3. Grate the orange zest on top of the frosted cake for a little extra orange flavor.

📕For more great recipes, checkout my book on itsagreatdayto.com, at Barnes and Noble or on amazon.com 📕