Eric's Birthday Cake ...

Birthdays are the perfect occasion to bake a cake, right? The problem in our household is that I am trying to diet, SB doesn't want cakes that last all week long, and our kids are not sweets eaters. This weekend when I made a birthday dinner for our son, the request was made to have a light cake ... nothing over the top.

Okay ...

I can do that! I opted for a single layer buttery vanilla cake with a thick layer of fresh banana coins.

It's topped with a coconut ginger crumble topping and it goes really well with a scoop of pineapple coconut or vanilla ice cream. What a treat for all around the dinner table!

The beauty of the cake is that it travels well. I cut up pieces for the kids to take home for a breakfast or coffee break treat. Perfect! SB gets a bit for his sweet tooth in the next day or two and the rest went the way of the kids! As we ate our pieces, we decided that this cake would go very well with a sweet rum whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, a warm drizzly pineapple sauce or plain with strong coffee. I also thought the banana could be layered with the batter if you made a bread loaf-sized pan. Kind of a double decker mini-cake. Anyway ... it was delish!

Banana Coconut Crumb Cake

slightly adapted from

a Nick Malgieri recipe

Oven: 350° F on middle rack
Time: 45 to 50 minutes

Cake Ingredients:

1¼ c. all purpose flour
¾ c. sugar
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 bananas, peeled and sliced into coins ½ -inch thick

Coconut Crumb Ingredients:

1¼ c. flour
⅓ c. sugar
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. ginger
⅛ tsp. salt
½ c. sweetened, shredded coconut
8 tbsp. butter, melted

Making the Cake:

1. Pre-heat the oven and grease a 9-inch spring form pan, lining the bottom with parchment paper or waxed paper.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients for the crumble topping, drizzle in the melted butter and toss with a fork until clumps form and the butter is thoroughly mixed throughout. Set it aside.
3. Mix the dry ingredients together in the bowl of a mixer for about 30 seconds on ‘stir’ or whisk by hand.
4. Add the soft butter and and mix on the lowest speed until  the butter is completely incorporated.
5. Scrape down the edges of the bowl to make sure the butter is completely mixed in.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolk, vanilla extract.
7. Add ⅓ of the mixture to the dry ingredients and mix for 1 minute on ‘medium’ speed.
8. Scrape the bowl sides down and repeat with the second ⅓ of egg mix. Beat the batter for another minutes, scrape down, add last of egg and repeat mixing – this time for 3 minutes on medium speed.
9. Turn the batter into the prepared pan. Peel, slice and layer the bananas in a pretty pattern to within ¼ inch of the edges of the pan, leaving a clear edge.
10. Evenly scatter the crumble topping.
11. Pop in the oven and bake until the cake is well-risen, the top is deep gold, and a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
12. Cool the cake on a rack for ten minutes, then, pop the spring form rim.
13. Cool completely. Then gently slide the cake to a pretty serving platter.
14. Serve warm or cooled with whipped cream, ice cream or just plain with a hot cup of tea or coffee.