Banana Cake

Jackson watched a Blue's Clues episode a couple of weeks ago (No, we didn't get a TV. Yes, he gets to watch things now and again on the laptop thanks to Netflix. No, this does not bother me one bit...well, maybe a little, but I never signed up for the Perfect Mom job...) where they made a banana cake. He came to me and asked some questions about our kitchen supply at that moment, and it went a little something like this:

J: "Mom, do we have bananas?" (yes, we have bananas, why?)

J: "Do we have flour?" (yes, we have flour, why?)

J: "Do we have eggs?" (yes, we have eggs, why?)

J: (sort of thinking/talking to himself) "Oh, but I guess we can't make that banana cake then since it needs eggs and Amelia's allergic to eggs..."

Me: "I bet I could find another recipe for banana cake that doesn't need eggs if you want to try to bake a cake that we can share with everyone. Would you like that?"

J: (beaming) "Yeah! Can we?"

We made a banana cake that day, it turned out really awesome and we even got to share it with Jackson's grandma for her birthday (with whipped cream on top!) so he was thrilled. But he didn't love the raisins in it. So today he asks, rather out of the blue:

J: "Mom, do you have a banana cake recipe that doesn't need eggs OR raisins?"

Me: "Yes, Sweetie. I sure do." :)

Rose's No-Fail Banana Cake from Bakin' Without Eggs by Rosemarie Emro

Mom's Job*:

Mix 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 cup quick rolled oats, 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 teaspoons baking soda, and 2 tablespoons baking powder together in a medium bowl. Then, mix 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 1/3 cup orange juice together in a small bowl. Don't mix together yet.

Jackson's Job:

Peel 5 bananas and place them in a big mixing bowl. "Smash" them gleefully with a potato masher.

Amelia's Job:

Carry the banana peels to the kitchen compost bucket bit by bit, giddy as only an almost 2yo can be with this type of task. Repeatedly open and close the compost bucket to see how it works.

Once the bananas are "smashed," it's Mom's job again to help Jackson mix the other two bowls into the large bowl (wet ingredients first, then dry). But in our kitchen today, alas, Amelia went to play with Jackson's trains and he didn't like that so I lost both of my kitchen helpers (whew!). I was then free to quickly mix the rest of the cake together, pour it into a sprayed 12-cup Bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Turn out onto a wire rack after baking and let the cake cool.

The kids came back to "help" again once it was time to eat it. Sounds a lot like "The Little Red Hen," but they do get credit for peeling, smashing and composting the bananas.

 

This cake is delicious AND free of a lot of allergens! No nuts! No eggs! No dairy!

The original recipe also called for 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel but I didn't have it on hand. Raisins (1/2 cup), poppy seeds (2 tablespoons), and walnuts (1/2 cup, chopped) can also be added.

*Yes, measuring ingredients should TOTALLY be a "Jackson Job" at this point too, since he has incredible focus, attention to detail and loves to count. But that really only works if the little sister isn't around and today, well, she was. :)