Banana Buttermilk Pound Cake

While I never tire of making banana bread when I have too many bananas ripening in my kitchen, there are times when I want something a little more dessert-like from my bananas. Banana cakes are just as easy to make as banana breads are, but typically have a finer texture and end up being a little bit sweeter than their quickbread counterparts. This Banana Buttermilk Pound Cake is one of my new go-to banana cake recipes. It’s a beautiful bundt cake that is packed with plenty of mashed bananas, but is a little bit lighter and sweeter than your average banana bread

Pound cakes are known for being dense, buttery cakes that have a tight, tender crumb and, unlike other cakes, need no frosting to finish them off because they are perfect on their own. This cake is no exception, though I will definitely say that the banana flavor is stronger than the flavor of butter! The cake is super-moist and has a very fine, tight crumb. The banana is definitely the dominant flavor in the cake, with hints of butter and cinnamon to go along with it. It is sweet, but not overly sweet, and the flavors are so balanced that the cake stands very well on its own without the addition of frosting or glaze. That said, you could definitely finish the cake with a little powdered sugar or even a drizzle of glaze if you want to dress it up before bringing it out for company.

Serve this cake for brunch or for dessert, it is an all-occasion cake and the bananas make it versatile enough to make an appearance at breakfast. For a little variety, you could mix some chocolate chips or pecans into this cake (about 1 cup into the batter). You could also increase the spices for a more distinct spice cake-flavor, which gives the cake a warmer feeling that is perfect in fall or winter.

Banana Buttermilk Pound Cake
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups mashed banana (3 medium)

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
Whisk together buttermilk and mashed bananas in a small bowl or measuring cup.
Stir about 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, followed by half of the banana mix. Stir in another 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by the remaining banana mixture and the remaining flour. Stir only until ingredients are just combined and no streaks of dry ingredients remain visible. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 45-50 min, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly touched.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 1 bundt cake; serves 10-12