Mr. Banana Legs
- Mixing bowls
- Rasp
- Standing mixer
- One 12-cup bundt pan, two 9-inch-round pans, or small brioche pans
- Unbleached all-purpose flour, 10 ounces (2 cups), or 10 3/4 ounces (2 cups + 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon) at high altitude
- Potato starch, 1 tablespoon
- Turbinado sugar, 1 tablespoon
- Salt, 1/2 teaspoon
- Baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon, or none at high altitude
- Whole nutmeg, 1
- Very ripe peeled bananas, 6 ounces (3 bananas)
- Half and half, 3/4 cup, or 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons at high altitude
- Rum, 1 tablespoon
- Vanilla extract, 1 1/2 teaspoons
- Unsalted butter, at room temperature, 6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks)
- Extra-fine granulated sugar, 21 ounces (2 3/4 cups), or 19 1/2 ounces (2 1/4 cups + 3 tablespoons) at high altitude
- Eggs (large), 4, or 5 at high altitude
- Egg yolks (large), 3
- Preheat the oven to 350F (conventional) or 335F (convection).
- Set rack in the middle of the oven.
- To bake Crunchy Feet, place the oven racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions.
- Set out the ingredients and equipment:
- Sift the flour directly into a bowl on a scale for accurate measuring.
- Measure the other dry ingredients into a separate mixing bowl, add the flour, and whisk for 10 seconds to blend.
- Set aside.
- Combine the liquid ingredients in a food processor and process for 30 seconds or until smooth.
- Place in a separate bowl and set aside.
- Measure the butter and sugar into separate bowls and set aside.
- Crack the eggs and yolks into two separate bowls and set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on the lowest speed for 2 to 3 minutes.
- The mixture should look white, fluffy, and aerated.
- With the mixer still on the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time followed by the yolks, fully incorporating after each addition.
- Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with the liquid mixture in 3 to 5 additions each, beginning and ending with the dry mixture.
- Move swiftly through this step to avoid overworking the batter.
- Dont wait for the dry or liquid mixtures to be fully incorporated before adding the next.
- This step should take a total of about 60 seconds.
- Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl all the way down.
- Dont miss the clumps of ingredients hiding on the bottom of the bowl.
- Mix on medium speed for 15 to 20 seconds to develop the batters structure.
- Prepare the pans.
- For a Bundt cake, spray the pan well with a nonstick spray.
- For 9-inch-round cakes, line the bottom of each pan with parchment but do not spray the sides.
- For Crunchy Feet, place the brioche pans on sheet pans (16 per half-sheet pan is a snug fit) and spray them liberally with a nonstick spray.
- For a Bundt cake, fill the pan about three-quarters full by depositing the batter with the rubber spatula in small clumps around the prepared pan instead of by pouring it into one spot.
- Level the batter with the rubber spatula.
- Bake any leftover batter as Crunchy Feet or cupcakes.
- For 9-inch-round cakes, deposit the batter into three separate areas of the pan and smooth out with an offset spatula, making sure the pans are two-thirds full.
- For Crunchy Feet, use a 2-ounce, trigger-release, ice-cream scoop to deposit the batter into the prepared pans so theyre three-quarters full.
- Follow the approximate bake times listed below:
- ITEM: 12-cup bundt - At Sea Level, bake 45 minutes; at High Altitude, bake 55 minutes.
- ITEM: 9-inch rounds - At Sea Level, bake 26-28 minutes; at High Altitude, bake 42 minutes
- ITEM: Crunchy Feet - At Sea Level, bake 15 minutes; at High Altitude, bake 32 minutes
- Once the top of the cake doesnt jiggle in the center and is golden brown across the top and edges, test for doneness by inserting a bamboo skewer in the center of the cake.
- When the skewer shows just a touch of crumbs or comes out clean, the cake is done.
- Remove the pan from the oven and place on a heat- resistant surface or wire rack.
- For the Bundt cake, once the cake has cooled for 5 to 10 minutes, remove the cake by inverting the pan onto a flat surface.
- Allow it to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before glazing.
- For Crunchy Feet, carefully invert the brioche pans to release the cakes 3 to 4 minutes after removing them from the ovenwell before they cool completely.
- You may have to tap each pan firmlyor even slam itagainst the sheet pan to release the cake.
- Place on a heat-resistant surface or wire rack to cool.
- Immediately soak the pans to make cleaning easier.
- For the layer cake, cool to room temperature, 25 to 30 minutes, before removing from the pan.
- Use a small offset spatula to loosen the cake from the rim of the pan.
- Carefully invert each pan onto a flat surface to remove the layers.
- Remove the parchment from the bottom of each cake and wrap the cake tightly in plastic.
- Assembling a layer cake is easier if the cake is cold, so refrigerate the layers overnight or for up to 5 days before frosting.
- SERVING AND STORING
- Serve naked or with a dusting of confectioners sugar or use Glazing Chocolate.
- For a dressed-up version, serve assembled with rum-flavored Italian Meringue Buttercream, Ganache, and fresh bananas.
- Store under a cake dome at room temperature, or wrapped in plastic in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- If frosted, store under a cake dome for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- To store unfrosted cake longer, label, date, and store the plastic-wrapped cake in the freezer for up to 1 month.
mixing bowls, mixer, bundt pan, flour, starch, turbinado sugar, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, bananas, vanilla, butter, sugar, eggs, egg yolks
Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/mr-banana-legs (may not work)