Banana Coffee Cake with Walnuts and Coconut

Susan and I sat outside in our backyard enjoying this today, exclaiming a few times, "WOW."

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts, toasted
• 2 tablespoons flaked sweetened coconut

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray; line bottom of pan with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine banana and next 5 ingredients (banana through egg) in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 1 minute or until well blended. Add flour mixture to banana mixture, and beat until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Carefully peel off wax paper.
5. Combine brown sugar, water, and butter in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in nuts and coconut. Spread over cake. Serve cake warm.

Cooking Light
NOVEMBER 2002