Slow Cooker Banana Upside Down Cake

Foxxyladyone's Note:

I have just discovered the wonder of the slow cooker, and found this recipe online. You can make dessert in a slow cooker, too? Indeed you can, and this is an excellent one to try. My husband raved about it and finished it off in less than 24 hours. He loved the caramelized edges, while I particularly enjoyed the delicious cake. I did not find it too spicy, but actually a good compliment to the sweetness of the bananas.

• Total Time: 3 hrs 40 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 3 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

Banana

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, in small pieces, plus more for the cooker
• 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar, plus for lining the cooker
• 3 tablespoons dark rum
• 2 lbs ripe medium bananas, peeled and halved lengthwise (about 6)

Cake

• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1 1/4 teaspoons fine salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1/2 stick)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons whole milk, at room temperature
• ice cream, for serving

Directions:

1. Bananas: Butter the inside of a slow cooker, line completely with foil, and then butter the foil. Turn on to HIGH. Sprinkle butter, brown sugar and rum over the foil on the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover the bottom with the banana halves, cut side down, in a slightly overlapping pattern. Press the bananas into the sugar
2. Cake: Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into a large bowl; then whisk to combine evenly.
3. In another bowl, slowly beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until just blended. Raise the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally, about 10 minutes. Beat in the egg and then the yolk, allowing each to be fully incorporated before adding the next.
4. While mixing slowly, add the flour mixture to the butter in 3 parts, alternating with the milk in 2 parts, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix briefly at medium speed to make a smooth batter.
5. Pour the batter over the bananas and smooth with a spatula to even it out. Lay a doubled length of paper towel from end to end over the top of the slow cooker, to line the lid and create a tighter seal. (See note.) Cover the cake tightly with the lid and continue to cook on HIGH, until the cake begins to brown slightly on the sides and springs back when touched in the middle, about 3 1/2 hours. Turn off the slow cooker and let the cake set, about 20 minutes more.
6. Using the foil, lift the cake from the slow cooker; set on the counter to cool, about 30 minutes more. Fold back the foil, and carefully invert cake onto a platter so you can see the caramelized bananas.
7. Slice or spoon cake into bowls and serve with ice cream, if desired.

Reviews

[Feej]

This was worth the humiliation. My dh now calls this the "One-eyed Caramel Cake". Allow me to explain. Once the cake was done, I pulled it out of the crock pot & allowed it to rest a bit. When I pulled down the foil & tried to flip the cake over onto another plate, I must have done so with a bit too much zeal. I ended up with a face full of warm caramel sauce. Thank goodness I had allowed it to cool! My dh, upon hearing a strange noise from me, got up to see if I was OK. When he walked into the kitchen, there I was. A line of caramel sauce from one side of my face to the other. In my hair. And my right eye, which was now shut. Between the sauce, my one shut eye & the look of shock on my face, he couldn't help himself. Instead of offering me a washcloth or papertowel or simply a kind word, he grabbed his cel phone & took a picture of me! I made him wait until I was freshly showered before I would let him try the cake, which we both enjoyed very much. Several times during the day, I caught him looking at the picture & laughing! Needless to say, that was his first & last piece of cake.

[Malriah]

VERY, VERY good! I used Captain Morgan's spiced rum but otherwise followed the directions exactly. It was so good that I ate it for breakfast the next morning! :)

[jackieliz]

This is my new favorite cake! It only took about 1.5 hours in my slow cooker, I did let it rest as instructed. My favorite thing about this cake is that the bananas became chewy. I'm not sure if this is how everyones cake came out or if it is because I used slightly under ripe bananas, b ut if it IS because of the greenish bananas, I recommend you try using them too. I also used wax paper instead of foil, worked fine. When the weather cools down a bit, I plan to try doubling or tripling the cake portion and making it in a springform pan.