Eggless Banana Cake - disaster averted!

I did a stupid thing the other day – I forgot the eggs in my banana cake. Then I did a brilliant thing the other day – I forgot the eggs in my banana cake!  Okay, not brilliant but disaster averted.  I couldn’t believe it.  The cake was moist and delicious.

I can’t really explain this baking phenomenon even after consulting my Bakewise book by Shirley O Corriher. The only thing I can come up with is that I used a strong all-purpose flour (King Arthur Unbleached) and I mixed the bananas really well with the butter before hand so there ended up being more banana than butter – sort of.

  Then when I added the flour and sour cream the gluten had a chance to form and “stick” the cake together.

 That’s what I came up with but don’t hold me to it.  All I know is that it worked, now I’m not going to make a practice of “forgetting” my eggs – but as I said, disaster did not prevail.  So for all you out there who may be allergic to eggs…you can still have your cake and eat it too!

Ingredients

Makes 1 Bundt cake – serving 1 or 12- depending if you share

1-cup butter (2 sticks)

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

3 ripe bananas – mashed to smithereens

1-cup sour cream (only Daisy in this kitchen)

3 cups flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

2 cups sugar

Pre-heat oven to 325°F.

Let butter, eggs, and sour cream stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Grease and lightly flour one Bundt cake pan.  In a medium bowl, whisk 3 cups of flour, baking powder, and baking soda.  Set aside. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a flat paddle beat butter on high speed for one minute.  Reduce speed to medium, add sugar ½ cup at a time.  Beat for 5-8 minutes until light and fluffy – don’t skimp on the time!

Reduce speed to low. Add vanilla and bananas, beating until well incorporated.  Scrap the side of mixing bowl frequently.  Keeping the speed on low, alternate, adding the flour mixture and sour cream to bowl.  Mix until just combined and smooth.  Spoon into prepared pan, smooth and bake for 60 minutes or until a tester inserted comes out clean.  Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan.  There you have it – an eggless banana cake!!