Banana And Blueberry Cake Recipe: Your New Favorite Easy Bake!
Welcome, baking enthusiasts and complete novices alike! Are you ready to dive into the wonderful world of baking with a recipe that’s as comforting as a warm hug and as delightful as a sunny morning? If you’ve been searching for an easy baking recipes that delivers incredible flavor without the stress, you’ve found it! Today, we’re unveiling our irresistible Banana And Blueberry Cake Recipe – a perfect blend of sweet, ripe bananas and juicy, bursting blueberries, all baked into a wonderfully moist cake. This recipe is specifically designed with baking tips for beginners in mind, ensuring your first (or hundredth!) cake is a resounding success. Get ready to impress yourself and everyone lucky enough to get a slice!
Ingredients List
Gather your ingredients! For the best results, we recommend having everything prepped and measured before you start mixing. This is a pro-tip for smooth sailing in the kitchen!
| Ingredient | Quantity | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 2 | cups |
| Granulated Sugar | 1 | cup |
| Light Brown Sugar (packed) | ½ | cup |
| Baking Soda | 1 | teaspoon |
| Baking Powder | ½ | teaspoon |
| Ground Cinnamon | 1 | teaspoon |
| Salt | ½ | teaspoon |
| Very Ripe Bananas (mashed) | 3-4 | medium |
| Large Eggs | 2 | |
| Unsalted Butter (melted) | ½ | cup (1 stick) |
| Milk (whole or 2%) | ¼ | cup |
| Vanilla Extract | 1 | teaspoon |
| Fresh or Frozen Blueberries | 1 ½ | cups |
| Extra All-Purpose Flour (for blueberries) | 1 | tablespoon |
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps, and you’ll be enjoying a delicious homemade cake in no time. Remember, baking is a science, but it should also be fun!
Step 1: Preheat and Prepare Your Pan
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Lightly grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan. You can also line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides, which makes it super easy to lift the cake out later. This is especially helpful for beginners as it prevents sticking!
Step 2: Prepare Your Dry Ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt.
- Beginner Tip: Whisking your dry ingredients ensures they are evenly distributed, so you don’t end up with pockets of baking soda or salt in your final cake.
Step 3: Prepare Your Wet Ingredients
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, mash your very ripe bananas. The riper they are (think brown spots!), the sweeter and more flavorful your cake will be. Aim for about 1 ½ cups of mashed banana.
- Add the large eggs (lightly beaten), melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas.
- Beginner Tip: Ensure your eggs and milk are at room temperature. This helps them incorporate better with other ingredients, creating a smoother, more emulsified batter. If your butter is still hot after melting, let it cool slightly before adding to the eggs to prevent scrambling them.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
- Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredient mixture.
- Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix just until combined. It’s okay if there are a few small lumps of flour – do not overmix! Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour too much, leading to a tough, dense cake instead of a light and fluffy one.
Step 5: Fold in the Blueberries
- In a small bowl, gently toss your fresh or frozen blueberries with the extra tablespoon of all-purpose flour.
- Beginner Tip: This small step is crucial! Coating the blueberries in flour helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of your cake during baking, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout each slice.
- Gently fold the floured blueberries into the cake batter. Again, mix just enough to distribute them.
Step 6: Bake Your Cake
- Pour the batter into your prepared 9×13 inch baking pan and spread it evenly with your spatula.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached (no wet batter).
- Beginner Tip: Ovens can vary, so start checking your cake around the 30-minute mark. If the top is browning too quickly, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil.
Step 7: Cool and Enjoy!
- Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20-30 minutes. This allows the cake to set properly and prevents it from crumbling when you remove it.
- After cooling slightly, you can carefully lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang (if you used it) and place it directly on the wire rack to cool completely.
- Once completely cooled, slice, serve, and savor your delicious homemade Banana And Blueberry Cake!
Tips & Tricks for Baking Success
Baking can sometimes feel intimidating, but with a few simple tricks up your sleeve, you’ll be baking like a pro!
- The Magic of Ripe Bananas: Don’t underestimate the power of very ripe (brown-spotted) bananas. They are naturally sweeter and contribute immensely to the moisture and flavor of your cake. If yours aren’t quite ripe enough, you can bake them in their skins at 300°F (150°C) for 15-20 minutes until they turn black and soft.
- Accurate Flour Measurement: For precise results, spoon and level your flour. Don’t scoop flour directly from the bag with your measuring cup, as this compacts it and can lead to using too much flour, resulting in a dry cake. Spoon flour into your measuring cup, then level off the top with a straight edge.
- Room Temperature is Key: Make sure your eggs, milk, and even the mashed bananas (if not freshly mashed) are at room temperature. This helps them combine smoothly and evenly, creating a uniform batter.
- Don’t Overmix: We can’t stress this enough! Overmixing develops gluten, which makes your cake tough and chewy instead of tender and moist. Mix only until the ingredients are just combined.
- Blueberry Sinking Solution: Tossing your blueberries in a tablespoon of flour before adding them to the batter is a game-changer. It creates a barrier that helps them suspend beautifully throughout the cake. This works for both fresh and frozen berries.
- Patience with Cooling: Resist the urge to cut into your cake too soon! Allowing it to cool completely in the pan helps it set, firm up, and prevents it from crumbling.
- Storage: Store leftover cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It also freezes beautifully for longer storage!
Essential Baking Tools
Having the right tools makes all the difference, especially when you’re starting out. Here are some basics you’ll want in your kitchen (and where to find them on Amazon!):
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Baking Pan (specifically a 9×13 inch pan for this recipe)
- Measuring Cups
- Spatula (a silicone spatula is great for mixing and scraping bowls)
- Measuring Spoons
- Wire Rack
Nutrition Information (Estimated per serving)
Please note: This is an estimated nutritional breakdown for one serving (assuming 12 servings per cake) and can vary based on specific ingredients and brands used.
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~350-380 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | ~55-60 g |
| Protein | ~4-5 g |
| Fat | ~15-18 g |
| Fiber | ~2-3 g |
| Sugar | ~30-35 g |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh?
Absolutely! Frozen blueberries work perfectly in this recipe. Just be sure to toss them with the tablespoon of flour while they’re still frozen. There’s no need to thaw them beforehand.
Q2: My bananas aren’t very ripe. What can I do?
If your bananas are still quite green or yellow, you have a few options: you can bake them in their skins on a baking sheet at 300°F (150°C) for 15-20 minutes until they turn black and soft. Alternatively, if you’re in a pinch, you can still use slightly less ripe bananas, but the cake might be a little less sweet and moist. Adding an extra tablespoon of brown sugar can help compensate.
Q3: How do I know when the cake is perfectly baked?
The best way to check for doneness is the toothpick test. Insert a wooden skewer or toothpick into the very center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached, your cake is done. If you see wet batter, continue baking for a few more minutes and test again.
Q4: My cake turned out dry/tough. What went wrong?
This is a common issue for beginners! The most likely culprits are overmixing the batter (which develops gluten and makes the cake tough) or overbaking (which dries out the moisture). Ensure you mix just until combined and keep a close eye on your baking time, checking with the toothpick test.
Q5: Can I add other ingredients to this cake?
Yes, this recipe is very forgiving and adaptable! Feel free to fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans along with the blueberries for an extra crunch. A touch of lemon zest (1 teaspoon) can also brighten up the flavor beautifully.
Q6: How long does this cake last?
When stored properly in an airtight container at room temperature, this cake will stay fresh and delicious for about 3 days. If you store it in the refrigerator, it can last up to 5 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months; just wrap individual slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap and then foil.
Conclusion
And there you have it – your very own delicious, homemade Banana And Blueberry Cake Recipe! We hope this detailed, beginner-friendly guide has given you the confidence and inspiration to get into the kitchen and create something wonderful. There’s truly nothing quite like the aroma of a fresh-baked cake filling your home, and the satisfaction of sharing something you made with love. Don’t be afraid to experiment, and remember that every bake is a learning experience. Happy baking, and we can’t wait to hear about your successful creations!
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