Banana Bread Tres Leches Cake
User Reviews
5
Banana Bread Tres Leches Cake
Description
The Banana Bread Tres Leches Cake starts with a batter of all-purpose flour, baking powder, warm spices, and mashed bananas folded into a mixture of browned butter, brown and granulated sugars, and separated eggs beaten into stiff peaks. After baking until just set and golden, the cake is soaked with a mixture of whole milk, coconut milk, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk to infuse moisture and richness.
Caramelized bananas, cooked with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt, provide a soft, sweet, and slightly spiced topping that complements the cake's moist crumb. The cake's texture is notably soft and saturated, contrasting with tender cake edges.
Typically baked in an 8×11 dish, baking time varies slightly with pan size. Starting at 20-25 minutes and checking for doneness helps. This cake suits dessert occasions where a moist, flavorful treat with banana and milky sweetness is desired.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup brown butter 1 stick, cooled
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg separated
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 banana mashed (about 1 1/4 cups
- 2/3 cup whole, 2%, soy or almond milk
- 1/2 cup coconut milk light
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream cold
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
caramelized bananas
- 3 firm, not too ripe bananas, sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking dish (I used an 8×11 dish) with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. In another smaller bowl or using your electric mixer or hand-mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine egg yolks and sugars. Beat on medium speed until creamy and combined, then add in vanilla extract and bananas. With the mixer on low speed, add in cooled butter and mix until combined. Add in half of the dry ingredients, then add the 2/3 cups of milk. Finish by adding the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer base and using a large spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter. Pour batter in the greased dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until cake is set in the center and slightly golden. [a 9×9 pan may require a little longer bake time;a 9×13 may require a little less – I would start with 20 minutes.] Remove and let cake cool slightly. You can either leave the cake in the dish to cool, or gently turn it over on a rimmed platter. Let it cool completely, then poke a ton of holes in the top with a fork.
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together coconut milk, condensed milk and evaporated milk. Pour the milk mixture over the cake, letting it seep into the fork holes. Let set for about 45 minutes.
- To make the frosting, add the cold whipping cream to the bowl of your electric mixer and beat until stiff peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the powdered sugar and beat on medium speed to combine. Spread whipped cream evenly over the top of the cake.
- To make the caramelized bananas, heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add butter and one sizzling, toss in bananas, salt, cinnamon and sugar, tossing well to coat. Cook for 4-5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until bananas are golden brown. Remove and let cool slightly. Serve cake with bananas on top or as a garnish. Note: you do want to store this cake in the fridge, but it can get slightly dense because of the bananas. I recommend letting it sit out for 30-60 minutes before serving!
Notes
- Adjust bake time depending on pan size: about 25-30 minutes for 8×11, longer for 9×9, shorter for 9×13 pans.
- Use firm bananas for caramelizing to avoid mushiness and enhance texture contrast.
- This recipe blends banana bread flavor with tres leches soaking method for moist, rich results.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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