Banana Split Cake

Someone stop me before I bake again...


The mid-seventies were full of recipes like this. At least this doesn't rely on a box of custard mix, or Jell-O. It called for something called, "Sweet cocoa mix", which I took to mean something like Nesquick. I just used regular old cocoa powder-worked great.

Strangely, this is a pretty decent tasting cake. A bit rich-but not as heavy as pound cake. It certainly isn't overly sweet, and well-just look at it. There's a recipe for a glaze, but I skipped it because I'm curious how long this will last at room temperature. I'll include the details if you're feeling daring.

From Better Homes and Gardens Home Style Cooking, 1975


You Will Need:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs (I used large)
1/2 cup sour cream (I used the full-fat kind)
1/2 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups AP flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup strawberry preserves
A few drops of red food colouring
1/2 cup sweetened cocoa mix (I used regular unsweetened cocoa powder)


3/4 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light. Add the eggs, one at a time beating well. In a small bowl, combine the banana, sour cream, milk and vanilla. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture in two additions alternating with the banana mixture.

Remove 1 cup of cake batter and fold in the strawberry preserves, and food colouring.

Remove another cup and stir in the cocoa powder.

Pour half of the plain mixture in the bottom of the pan. Top with the strawberry batter making sure to spread it out to the edge. Top with remaining plain mixture, again spreading it to the edge evenly. Top with the chocolate mixture in a ring around the top, but do NOT spread to the edge.

Place pan on a baking sheet and bake about 70 minutes, or until it begins to pull away from the edge of the pan and tests done with a toothpick. Cool ten minutes in pan on a rack, then carefully unmould onto rack. Cool completely before glazing.

For the glaze:

Combine powdered sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla. Add enough milk (about 1 tablespoon) to make a frosting of drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake.