Sarah Feingerts from Irvine, California
AOS Baking and Pastry Arts, Spring of 2012
Yields: 6 individual serving cakes
Cake:
½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 cup GF Flour Blend #2 (page 24 in Gluten-Free Baking with The Culinary Institute of America)
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Baking Soda
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Baking Powder
2 Eggs
½ cup Water, warm
½ cup Buttermilk
2 tbsp Canola Oil
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Filling:
2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
¼ cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
1/8 cup Orange Juice
2 Medium Bananas, quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick
Ganache:
¼ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
2 oz Dark Chocolate
1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
Method:
1. Preheat convection oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 6 cup jumbo muffin pan.
2. For the cake batter, sift together in a medium mixing bowl the cocoa powder, flour blend, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, buttermilk, canola oil, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together until smooth.
3. Divide batter evenly among the 6 muffin cups.
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until center springs back when touched.
5. Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pan and allow them to cool completely.
6. Using a paring knife, cut top of cakes to make them level. Then, leaving about ¼ inch of space around the edges and at the bottom, core the center of the cake, keeping the core intact. Cut about a ¼ inch slice off the top of the core cake piece to be the plug once the cake is filled. Save scraps and set aside.
7. To make the filling, heat butter, brown sugar, and orange juice in a small saucepan or skillet over med-high heat. Once the butter has melted and the mixture has started boiling, add bananas and cook stirring continuously, until the sauce has thickened and started to coat the softened bananas. Remove from heat and spoon into the centers of the cored cakes, about 2-3 tablespoons to fill each cake. Replace the top slice of the core over the opening to seal in the filling. If there are gaps around the core that are allowing the filling to show, fill them in with the scrap pieces of cake to prevent the filling from leaking out. Invert cakes onto serving plates, so that the cut side is facing down.
8. For the ganache, bring cream to a boil and pour it over the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Let the cream and chocolate stand for about a minute, then stir until smooth. Add in butter, and stir until melted, heating over low flame gently if needed. Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons over the cakes allowing it to drip down the sides. Garnish with remaining banana filling. Serve warm.