Banana Coffee Cake

If you're looking for something other than banana bread to make with those over-ripe bananas, this recipe from Betty Crocker is a winner. The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips, which I didn't have on hand. So instead I topped the cake with a cinnamon-sugar mixture before baking to give it a little extra sweetness. To be honest though, I didn't really notice anything sweeter about the bites that included the cinnamon-sugar topping. Also, I had some leftover Buttery Brown Sugar Sauce, so I substituted 3 tablespoons of that in place of the butter. It's also great served over this warm cake, if you want it to be sweeter (since the cake by itself is not overly sweet).

INGREDIENTS:
Cake
2 1/4 cups Original Bisquick mix
1 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
(1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter (or margarine), softened
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg
(1/8 cup granulated sugar)
(1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon)

Buttery Brown Sugar Sauce
1 cup butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla


DIRECTIONS:
1)Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch square pan (or 9-inch round if you happened to break your glass square pan and haven't gotten a new one yet...) with cooking spray. In medium bowl, stir all cake ingredients (except 1/8 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, if using) with wire whisk or fork until blended. Spread in pan. (Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture over top, if using).


2) Bake 25-30 minutes or until gold brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes.


3)If using sauce: Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat sauce ingredients except vanilla to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Drizzle over warm cake. Serve warm.

Note**: This cake really does need to be served warm. I didn't think it would make that big of a difference so I had a bite of the cake when it was cold. It was dry and tasted too much like over-ripe bananas. But when it's warmed up (I'd recommend 20 seconds in the microwave if you've had it in the fridge) it is moist and just the right amount of banana flavor.