New Orleans Carnival Time Recipe: "Flameless Bananas Foster Bundt Cake"

New Orleans is a city dear not only to me, but also to my husband. He was a Hurricane Katrina medical volunteer in NOLA days after that tragedy and went on to spend 6 weeks in the area taking care of patients many times out of a makeshift medical tent. When it came time to choose our honeymoon destination, New Orleans was our unanimous choice. We had an amazing time.

Last month, I returned to New Orleans for the first time since our honeymoon. This was a solo trip due to my husband's work schedule. I decided that life was too short to continue my bucket list wish to visit NOLA during Christmastime, so I checked it off my list! I had the most amazing time. I spent treasured time with my sorority Little Sister Susan. We both have December birthdays and it was priceless to be able to celebrate together. I stayed at our honeymoon hotel, Le Pavillon Hotel in the French Quarter and how wonderful it was to see some of the same staff again.

It is now a time of celebration in NOLA known as "Carnival". This is the pre-Lenten celebration that leads up to Fat Tuesday. One of my favorite desserts was created in New Orleans at Brennan's Restaurant. I've invoked the name of this restaurant beloved in my heart before. Bananas Foster is an amazing mix of bananas, caramel, cinnamon and rum. This dish is traditionally prepared by igniting the rum. I created a recipe for an easy, flameless version. I choose to cook the banana mixture until it thickens and has a syrupy texture. I decided to pay homage to this favorite NOLA recipe in a cake: a bundt swirl cake with a flameless bananas foster filling.
   
In the coming days, I will be sharing reviews of two fabulous New Orleans reads with you, including giving away an autographed copy of one of the books. I will also share about my visit to the Southern Food and Beverage Museum. The food, the people, the history: this city has it all.

 

 

"Flameless Bananas Foster Bundt Cake"

 

2 1/2 cups King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup light sour cream

1 teaspoon Rodelle pure vanilla extract

2/3 cup "Flameless Bananas Foster Filling"

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 10 inch bundt pan with Baker's Joy spray or coat with cooking spray and sprinkle with flour. In large bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In separate mixing bowl, beat butter with mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add sugar and vanilla extract. Mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream and mix well. Slowly add dry flour mixture to creamed butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Pour half of batter into the prepared pan. Add bananas foster filling mixture by the spoonful over batter around the pan, then lightly swirl together with wooden skewer or spoon handle. Cover with remaining cake batter. Bake 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert cake onto a plate. Enjoy!  

 

"Flameless Bananas Foster Filling"

1 medium banana, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon rum OR rum extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. When butter is melted, add brown sugar, cinnamon and rum. Stir to dissolve brown sugar. When mixture is bubbling at the edges, add chopped bananas and stir to coat bananas. Let bananas cook in the syrup, stirring often, until mixture has a thick and syrupy consistency.