Buttermilk Banana Coffee Cake w/Maple Icing

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I like bananas, but when it comes to banana in baked goods, I admit that I only make them so as to placate my conscience by not throwing away really ripe bananas. This time, I deliberately saved a banana to make a coffee cake. All kidding aside, a mashed banana makes for a moist cake. The key is a really ripe banana. As you look at it you should be thinking to yourself, "If I don't use it today, I'm gonna toss it tomorrow."

Buttermilk Banana Coffee Cake w/Maple Icing

Coffee Cake

1 cup unbleached white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

½ cup butter or margarine, softened

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 eggs

1 mashed ripe banana

¾ cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Streusel

½ cup flour

½ cup brown sugar

4 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces

½ tsp cinnamon

½ cup walnuts, chopped

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp butter, melted

3 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp milk or water

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Instructions
Generously grease a 9x9 pan. Heat oven to 350° F.

For the streusel
Combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add butter. With a pastry cutter, or two knives, cut butter into flour-sugar mixture until crumbly. Add walnuts and stir thoroughly. Refrigerate until needed.

For the cake

In a bowl, combine unbleached white flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add mashed banana and mix thoroughly. Add vanilla extract.


I only added one banana because I like just a hint of banana flavor. If you want more banana flavor, then add another mashed banana.

Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour into pan. Top with streusel. Bake for 50-55 minutes. Cool before icing.

For the icing

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Drizzle over cooled cake. OK, confession time. I used fake maple syrup. If you are using the real thing, then add the maple syrup before adding the milk or water. (In my amateur opinion, real maple syrup seems to be thinner and not as gooey as maple flavored pancake syrup. Therefore, you may not need the additional liquid.)

Inspiration recipe(s): Banana Coffee Cake

Enjoy!

~CD