No matter how many cakes you may have chomped down in your lifetime, I’m pretty sure you’ve never before chanced upon this dainty West African goody. Forget the nondescript junk you can pick up at any time in cake shops, because this classified Ghanaian dessert blueprint will get you dancing to the Gold Coast beat in no time! Now who says you can’t have your cake and eat it at the same time?
Accra Banana Peanut Cake
1 1/4 c butter, softened
2 c sugar
4 eggs, beaten
4 c flour
1/4 c cake flour
1 t salt
4 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
8 bananas, mashed
1/2 c peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 c sugar
1 t cinnamon
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat to combine. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with the bananas and peanuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Stir together the 1/2 cup of sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the sugar mixture over the top of the cake as soon as you remove it from the oven. Makes 1 – 9×13 cake.