Equipment Needed
- Two 9-inch round cake pans
- Parchment paper
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Two large mixing bowls
- Whisk and spatula
- Cooling racks
- Offset spatula (for frosting)
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, I preheat my oven to 350°F (175°C). I grease my two cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper circles, and grease the parchment too. This guarantees a flawless release every time. In one bowl, I whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In another bowl, I mash my incredibly ripe bananas until smooth, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla. The mixture looks lumpy and fragrant, and it smells like heaven.
In the bowl of my stand mixer, I beat the softened butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed for a full 3-4 minutes. This isn’t just mixing; it’s creaming, and it’s the step that builds a light, fluffy structure. The mixture should become pale and fluffy. I then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each and scraping down the bowl. Now, I add my dry and wet mixtures. I’ve learned the hard way that the order matters: I add about a third of the dry ingredients, mix on low until just combined, then half of the banana mixture, another third of the dry, the rest of the banana, and finally the last of the dry. Mixing this way prevents over-beating the gluten.(See the next page below to continue…)