It’s that moment that you realize that other doors are open to you. You can pinpoint exactly what you want, and you have the confidence to do what you previously thought you needed guidance on. For others it may seem that your world has been suddenly turned upside down, but in all reality, it was already upside down, and it has suddenly fallen into place – right side up.
As a former colleague of mine recently shared in his article on data – Get your technology infrastructure ready for the Age of Uncertainty, – “It’s at least arguable that the pandemic will act as a catalyst for new ways of living, altered aspirations and a rejection of what for decades has been the consensus of wisdom.”
We are changed, and it very well could be for the better. I believe our world is on a new path, with its priorities shifted in ways we couldn’t have imagined a few years ago, and there are moments to seize.
I’ve recently made some big changes in my professional life. And while the change can be categorized as uncomfortable, I have seen in this past year that it is taking the leap into the uncomfortable that has catapulted me forward. I’ve never been the type of person to be complacent. I am a keen observer, learner, and assessor of my surroundings. I know my worth. I know what I want and what I don’t want to spend my time on, and in that lies the excitement of finding out what’s possible. I’m taking these next few months to prioritize my career and myself. So in reality, the only thing in my world that is upside down is this recipe.
I am fostering my creative cooking exploration. This newly created recipe for banana upside down cake is divine. The base of the cake mimics a lovely banana bread texture and the upside down topping is sweet and tropical. The juxtaposition of textures and flavors, clear and slightly muted banana cake with the flavorful caramelized bananas, come together to make one delicious cake. I am very excited to share this recipe with you.
As for my professional story, the rest remains ahead of me as I cherish the opportunity to spend time with people – family, friends, network, and do a lot more cooking and baking.
Banana Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
Cake Topping
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
4 1/2 TBS unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2-3 bananas sliced into 1/3 inch rounds
Cake Batter
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened (if using salted butter, omit salt in recipe)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup plain sour cream or Greek yogurt (plain)
2 large eggs
1 cup bananas, mashed (approximately 2 overripe bananas)
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp dash
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8 x 8 x 2-inch square cake pan (or 9 x 2 inch round cake pan). It is important that the pan can hold 8 cups or it will overflow.
Spread brown sugar on the bottom of the pan and scatter pieces of butter. Place the pan in the oven for 5-7 minutes (until the butter has melted). Remove from the oven and stir to combine butter and sugar and spread evenly on the bottom. Arrange sliced bananas to cover the bottom. Set Aside.
To make the batter, combine dry ingredients in a large bowl (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt), stir to combine, and set aside.
In a large bowl cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix to combine. Add sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and mashed bananas, using an electric mixer to combine. Turn the mixer on low and add dry ingredients mixture until combined. Pour the batter over bananas, smooth the top, and bake. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake for additional 25-35 minutes until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the pan completely, or at least until the bottom is barely warm, before inverting on the plate. I recommend using a knife to loosen the cake edges from the pan, place a plate upside-down on top of the pan, and then invert the cake.
