Bananas Foster Upside Down Cake

My son turned 20 last week. I wanted to bake something special for him and since he loves Bananas Foster Ice Cream, I thought I'd look for a cake for him. Sure enough I ran across this one that looked yummy, and is baked in an iron skillet -- and you all know how I feel about my iron skillet!

So, with his approval, I set about baking it on the afternoon of his birthday. He and his friend came in while I was putting it together and asked a plethora of questions. Was I cooking it on top of the stove? What all goes in the batter? (A question I dreaded from my son as the cake calls for sour cream, as he does not like sour cream.) His friend and I convinced him he'd never taste the sour cream.

The cake was a hit! I would have enjoyed it more straight out of the oven, as I felt the bananas were a bit chewy, but I had no complaints from son and his friends.

It might make a better coffee cake than dessert, and next time I may try mashing the bananas into the batter. It wouldn't make as pretty a presentation, but I could avoid the chewy banana issue.

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup butter, softened and divided
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons rum OR 2 teaspoons rum extract + 4 teaspoons water
2 ripe bananas
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose baking mix OR homemade baking mix
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring once.
2. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a lightly greased 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-inch round cake pan (with sides that are at least 2 inches high) over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in brown sugar and rum.
3. Cut bananas diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices; arrange in concentric circles over brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle pecans over bananas.
4. Beat granulated sugar and remaining 1/4 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add milk and next 2 ingredients; beat just until blended. Beat in baking mix and cinnamon until blended. (Batter will be slightly lumpy.) Pour batter over mixture in skillet. Place skillet on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan.
5. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in skillet on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge to loosen. Invert onto a serving plate, spooning any topping in skillet over cake.


Inspired by Louis deLaunay of Grapevine, Texas, Southern Living
NOVEMBER 2011

Happy eating!

linking up with Made by You Monday