Recipe review: bake or break’s Sour Cream Banana Coffee Cake

Ask just about anyone what they do when they have extra bananas, and you’ll get one of two answers: “bake with them” or “freeze them for later.” Few people do that with other types of fruit, but bananas? We’re all over that.

So what did I do when I found myself with extra bananas a couple of weeks back? I baked something, of course. This time, though, I wanted something a little different from the usual banana bread or muffins I usually make. I thought some sort of cupcake might be nice. Instead I stumbled upon this Sour Cream Banana Coffee Cake recipe from bake or break. It had me curious right away, and it looked simple enough. I figured I’d give it a shot.

Let’s start with the basics. My instinct was right when I thought the recipe looked fairly simple. It came together well for me, even mixing it by hand instead of with a mixer. It was quick, too. I think it took about half an hour, not counting photos and baking time.

I did make one slight adjustment to the recipe, thought it was entirely due to personal preference. I’m not a big fan of pecans. Instead of using them, I threw in extra chocolate chips. I can’t say the cake suffered for that, but you may prefer to keep the pecans in, or substitute another type of nut.

So, how did it turn out? It’s pretty good, though I think I’d like a little more flavour. Maybe a kick more cinnamon, or some nutmeg, or an extra bit of banana.

That said, everyone I shared it with loved it. I took the full cake in to work with me one Monday morning when there were only about seven of us in. The cake was gone before noon on Tuesday.

Clearly, while I might like a touch more flavour in the cake, that isn’t the resounding consensus. Regardless, it’s still a recipe I recommend you try.

To sum it up…

• Time to prepare and cook/bake: about an hour and a half, if mixing by hand
• Difficulty: Fairly easy
• How it tasted: The cinnamon and banana are both clear, but not overpowering. I would have preferred a bit more of one or the other
• Would I make it again: I certainly plan on it, with an adjustment or two