Shelly's Recipe

BANANA PRALINE SPICE LAYER CAKE

Category: Cakes

3/4 cup sugar and firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Topping
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
1 tbsp water
2 tsp lemon juice
3 firm ripe medium bananas, thinly sliced

Frosting
2 cups whipping cream
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.* In large bowl, combine sugar, 3/4 cup brown sugar and 3/4 cup butter; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour and remaining cake ingredients; beat 2 minutes at medium speed or until smooth. Pour into greased and floured pans. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until cakes spring back when touched lightly in center.

While cake is baking, in small bowl, combine 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 6 tablespoons melted butter and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla; blend well. In another small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture with pecans; stir to coat. Set aside. Stir water and lemon juice into remaining brown sugar mixture.

Remove cakes from oven. Set oven to broil. Arrange bananas over cake layers. Pour and spread brown sugar mixture evenly over bananas, making sure all bananas are coated. Place 1 cake at a time on ungreased cookie sheet. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat for 30 to 90 seconds or until topping is bubbly. Cool cakes 15 minutes. Remove from pans; place, banana side up, on wire cooling racks. Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 350. Grease cookie sheet. Place sugar-coated pecans in single layer on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F. for 5 to 10 minutes or until pecans are slightly toasted and sugar coating begins to harden. Cool 10 minutes or until completely cooled.

In large bowl, combine all frosting ingredients. Beat until stiff peaks form.

To assemble cake, place 1 layer, banana side up, on serving plate; top with half of the frosting. Sprinkle with half of the coated pecans. Top with remaining cake layer, banana side up. Pipe or spoon remaining frosting over bananas. Garnish with remaining coated pecans. Store in refrigerator.