One Banana And One Egg Are The Beginning Of A Sweet Snack That's Fluffier Than A Traditional Pancake

Bananas and eggs are staple ingredients that we can transform into desserts like banana bread or banana nut muffins. But one banana and one egg are the foundation to a much simpler cake that's fluffier than a traditional pancake.The reason we compare it to a fluffier pancake is because the batter is quite thick and it's made in a skillet on the stove, requiring you to flip it halfway through for the fluffiest results. 

Whisking a ripe banana with one egg on a plate creates the sweet base of wet ingredients to which you can add vanilla extract, a few tablespoons of oil, ¼ cup of sugar, and a blend of ½ cup of flour and a teaspoon of baking powder. Whisking the egg and mashed banana will aerate the mixture, causing the cake to rise as it steams in a covered skillet. To that end, steaming a cake also contributes to it rising evenly and creating a fluffy texture and moist, tender crumb. 

The banana in this recipe provides sweetness and moisture, while its starches eliminate the need for copious amounts of flour, hence the minimal flour needed for this banana skillet cake. It also cuts down on the added sugar without minimizing its sweetness. Simply add the banana cake batter to a non-stick skillet, cover it, and let it steam over low heat on the stove for 5 minutes on one side. Then, flip it and let it steam for another 2 minutes for a pillowy cake ready in only 15 minutes.

With this banana cake, you're essentially making a giant banana pancake that you can embellish with add-ins, toppings, and sweet condiments. Add toasted pecans and blueberries to the batter for crunch and pops of sweet, tart, fruitiness. Chocolate and peanut butter chips would also be great additions to a banana cake batter, while you can bring more flavor to the batter itself with a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Blending shredded coconut and drained crushed canned pineapple into the batter can give a tropical banana cake with even more moisture. You can also go a step further and substitute certain ingredients in the original recipe. For example, if you want a healthier, whole grain variation, swap the white flour for oat flour. You can make your own oat flour by putting rolled oats into a blender or food processor to blitz them into a fine, even powder.

Top the banana cake with a delicate sprinkling of powdered sugar and slivered almonds for a sweet and nutty finish and a lovely presentation. Bananas and peanut butter are a match made in heaven, so you can whip up an easy peanut butter glaze for the banana cake with microwaved peanut butter, milk, and powdered sugar. You can also frost your cake with cream cheese icing or chocolate frosting for a heartier, more complex snack. Another option would be to garnish a slice of cake with the fruit compote of your choice and a dollop of whipped cream.