CRUNCHY CAKE TOPPING RECIPES

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder, soda, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl.
• Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add in mashed bananas and sour milk.
• Mix by hand 300 strokes or in a mixer at low speed for 2 minutes.
• Add eggs and vanilla.
• Beat for 1 minute on low speed or by hand 150 strokes.
• Spread into an 8x10 inch pan or 9x9 inch pan that is greased only on the bottom Bake at 375 degrees for 35-42 minutes.
• While the cake is cooking prepare crunchy topping.
• Cream butter and sugar.
• Add coconut and nuts.
• Remove cake from oven and turn dial to broil.
• Spread crunchy topping (I usually make 1 and a half times the topping recipe) over hot cake and broil until sugar is bubbly and topping is browned (Approximatley 3 minutes).

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit.
• 2. Sift together cake flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Set aside.
• 3. In a large separate bowl, beat butter until very fluffy (approx. 5 minuets) then add 2 cups of sugar. Continue to beat until light and fluffy (approx. 2 more minutes).
• 4. Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure that each egg is thoroughly blended before adding the next egg.
• 5. Mix in sour cream and vanilla extract.
• 6. Blend in some of the dry ingredients followed by some of the buttermilk in alternates. This is a way to ensure that the ingredients are being thoroughly blended together -- For example; add dry mixture followed by buttermilk, dry mixture, buttermilk dry mixture -- so on and so forth -- DO NOT OVER BEAT OTHERWISE CAKE WILL BECOME HARD AS A BRICK ONCE FINISHED BAKING!
• 7. Grease a bundt cake pan. I used a non stick angle food spring formed tube pan. If you do not have a non stick pan, be sure to grease your pan and dust with flour! Add in 1/4 cup of sugar to the bottom of pan and about 3 inches up the sides, tapping the pan to ensure even distribution. Leave excess sugar in pan. Sprinkle coconut flakes to the bottom of the pan. Scrape batter into the bundt pan and spread evenly.
• 8. Bake for about 50 minutes to an hour or until a wooden skewer inserted comes out clean (if it comes out wet, bake another 10 minutes or so, if it comes out crumbly, you over baked the cake).
• 9. Let cake cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove from pan, making sure that the sugary coconut side is faced upward. Use a knife to scrape the sides if cake becomes stuck. (this step is very important otherwise your cake will continue to bake and will become very dry and completely stuck in the pan).
• 10. Drizzle glaze over the crunchy top portion of cake. Please use my Vanilla Almond Glaze recipe to complete this cake!