Banana Walnut Pound Cake

I made this cake last week for my husband but when it came out of the oven it smelled so good I couldn't wait for him to get home to cut it. I know…I'm a bad wife, but if you taste this you will understand. Here's the recipe. One note, my husband has a huge sweet tooth and he requested that I use more sugar next time; so if you share his love of sugar, you may also want to add a little bit more than called for in this recipe or substitute white cane sugar for the raw cane sugar. It was perfect to me (of course).

Banana Walnut Pound Cake with Caramel Glaze

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (use convection bake setting if available). Use nonstick spray on pan and then sprinkle and coat spray with flour.

Equipment you need:

Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
Mixing Bowls
Spatula
Nonstick Spring Form Bundt or Angel Food Cake Pan
Small sauce pan

Cake Ingredients:

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened or at room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup turbinado raw cane sugar (Trader Joe's)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup (8oz) sour cream
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened or at room temperature
1 cup walnuts, crushed
3 ripe bananas, mashed
5 eggs

Glaze Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white cane sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions for Cake:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, allspice, and salt, stirring until combined.

2. Using your stand or hand mixer, mix on medium speed butter, brown sugar, and raw cane sugar until creamy. Turn off mixer.

3. Add bananas and mix on low speed until combined.

4. Add eggs one at a time, on medium speed, waiting until fully combined until adding the next one. Add vanilla extract with last egg.

5. Take turns pouring and mixing in, on medium speed, flour and sour cream until both are fully combined in batter. You may have to occasionally turn off the mixer and use a spatula to push the batter down into the center of the bowl.

6. Fold in crushed walnuts until combined.

7. Pour into prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour, 20 minutes (bakes closer to 1 hour if using the convection bake setting). Remove from pan and sit on wire rack with drip pan underneath.

Instructions for Glaze:

1. Combine all ingredients in small sauce pan and cook on medium heat stirring often. Once butter fully melted and combined with sugar, turn heat to low and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

2. Use a baking brush to put glaze on cake or carefully pour over cake being careful not to let too much drip off. If you choose to pour on the glaze, poke a few holes with a fork or toothpick on top of cake before pouring.

Now, technically, you should let cake cool completely before eating but trust me when I say it is delicious still warm. I let it cool maybe about 30 minutes before eating a piece. It had the house smelling so good I couldn't help myself.