Banana Upside Down Cake

I love all things banana. Banana cream pie, banana bread, banana pudding - you get my point! As soon as I heard about the Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker Challenge, I knew one of my recipes would include bananas. What to make? Hmmm. Banana cake is good any time, of course, but it also makes me think of fall and cooler temperatures. I have a single oven, so space is at a premium during the holidays. This slow cooker banana cake doesn't need oven space, so it is a win-win. This Set & Forget 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker from Hamilton Beach, is making my life much easier.

Banana Upside Down Cake
by Sharyl
Adapted from Food Network's Slow Cooker Banana Upside Down Cake

Banana:
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
3 Tablespoons dark rum
4 bananas, peeled and cut in half lengthwise

Cake:

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cups white sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
3/4 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
2 Tablespoons whole milk, room temperature

Butter the inside of the slow cooker. Lay buttered parchment paper in bottom of slow cooker. I used two pieces - 1 long ways and 1 cross wise. Sprinkle brown sugar over parchment paper and then drizzle the rum over the sugar. Add cut pieces of butter. Lay bananas, cut side down, on top of the sugar and press into sugar. Overlap the bananas for good coverage. Turn slow cooker on high.

Using an electric mixer, beat the 4 Tablespoons of butter and the white sugar until blended. Increase speed to high and beat for about 8 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the whole egg and beat and then add the yolk and beat until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift the cake flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

With the mixer on low, add 1/2 of the flour mix to the butter and mix. Add the milk, mix and then add the rest of the flour mix. Mix at medium speed until combined.

Spoon the batter over the bananas and smooth to cover the bananas. To keep moisture from dripping on the cake, lay a double layer of paper towel over top of slow cooker and then put the lid on. Do not clamp the lid down. The clamps are for transportation purposes only. Cook, on high, until cake starts to turn lightly brown on edges and cake is done in the middle. Test with a toothpick if you aren't sure. In this slow cooker, it took about 3 hours. When cake is done, turn off slow cooker and let cake sit for 20 - 30 minutes before removing. Using the parchment paper, carefully remove the cake from cooker and set on flat surface to cool. After 30 minutes, lay parchment paper on a cookie sheet or serving plate and lay that over top of the cake. Carefully flip so that the bottom of the cake is now on top. Remove parchment paper from bananas. 

Slice or spoon cake and serve with whipped cream or ice cream or eat as is. This is best eaten the same day. Enjoy!