Banana Coconut Luau Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 4-by-8-inch loaf pan.
• In a small saucepan, combine the pineapple juice and 1/2 cup water over medium heat until the mixture reaches 105 degrees F. Immediately transfer the liquid to the mixing bowl of a heavy-duty mixer with a dough hook attachment. Add the brown sugar; sprinkle the yeast on top and let stand for 5 minutes.
• On low speed, mix in the dry milk powder, salt and cinnamon. Continue to mix, adding the egg and butter. Slowly incorporate the 2 1/2 cups flour. Raise the speed to medium. Add the carrots, coconut, macadamia nuts and pineapple tidbits.
• Continue to knead in the mixer on medium speed until all ingredients are completely incorporated, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining flour as needed until the dough is slightly sticky, but not sticking to the bowl.
• Form the dough into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 5 minutes.
• Roll the ball out slightly, then flip over and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough out completely in order to remove the air from the dough's first rising.
• Roll the dough into a loaf shape, pulling back as you roll to tighten the loaf. Seal the ends and the seams in the dough thoroughly with your fingers.
• Firmly press the dough into the prepared pan. Let the dough rise in the pan, in a warm place, until the top of the dough reaches 1-inch above the pan, about 20 minutes, depending on the temperature of the dough and the room. Gently place the pan in the oven and bake until the bread is firm and the crust is golden brown, about 45 minutes.
• Gently remove the loaf from the pan and let cool on a rack. Serve slices with butter and preserves, or use in place of plain bread for a tropical take on sandwiches or French toast.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease and flour 1 (12-cup) muffin tin.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, ginger, and salt.
• In a large bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and sugars and beat until the mixture is very light and fluffy. Mix in the egg until incorporated. While the mixer is running, add in the dry ingredients and then the cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the mashed banana and vanilla. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 of the way with the batter.
• Bake the muffins until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Remove the tin from the oven and, when cool enough to handle, transfer the muffins to a cooling rack.
• Brittle and caramel sauce:
• Line a sheet pan with a silpat or aluminum foil that has been generously buttered.
• Toss the macadamia nuts with the butter in a medium bowl.
• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar with the water and cream of tartar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. When the syrup reaches a medium golden-amber color, switch off the heat and stir half of the syrup into the bowl with the macadamia nuts. Pour the mixture onto the prepared sheet pan and let the brittle cool. To the remaining caramelized sugar, carefully stir in the coconut milk. Cool the sauce completely before using.
• When the brittle has cooled, chop it roughly with a knife.
• Arrange a pineapple ring on a small plate. Invert a cake onto the pineapple ring. Top with a small scoop of coconut ice cream and a sprinkling of the chopped macadamia brittle. Drizzle the dessert with 2 tablespoons of the caramel sauce and garnish with some mint. Repeat with remaining ingredients and serve.

Steps:

• Cake:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well in between each addition, and continue to beat until very light and fluffy. Add buttermilk and mashed banana and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift and dry ingredients together (flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder), then add to batter and mix at low speed on the electric mixer until moistened. Beat one minute at medium speed, then fold in pecans and pour batter evenly into the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. After removing the cakes from the oven, allow them to cool for five minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. Assemble when thoroughly cooled.
• Coconut Custard:
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and cut another piece of parchment to the same size. Set both aside. Combine the coconut milk and milk and stir together. In a bowl, mix 2/3 cup of sugar with 1/3 cup cornstarch and stir with a fork until free from lumps. Mix the sugar and cornstarch together with the egg yolks and 1 cup of coconut milk mixture. Whisk until smooth and set aside. In a heavy saucepan, bring the remaining coconut milk mixture to a boil. Pour it into the bowl with the egg yolk-sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan over medium flame and continue stirring. Cook until small bubbles start to form on the surface of the custard. Remove from the heat and spread onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover the top of the custard with the other sheet of parchment to prevent a skin from forming. Cool in the refrigerator.
• To Assemble Cake:
• In a large bowl, gently toss banana slices with the lemon juice, and sugar. Trim the top of the first layer of cake so that the surface is level, then spread with a thin layer of custard. Place bananas completely over bottom layer, so that no cake is showing. Spread with another layer of coconut custard. Place next cake layer on top of this and spread the top generously with coconut custard. Garnish liberally with toasted coconut flakes.

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs; beat for 2 minutes. Add bananas and vanilla; beat for 2 minutes. , Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Mix well. Stir in pecans if desired. Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Sprinkle each with coconut. , Bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until cake tests done; loosely cover with foil during the last 10 minutes of baking. Cool in pans 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack, coconut side up. , In a bowl, cream shortening and butter. Add remaining frosting ingredients. Mix on low until combined; beat on high for 5 minutes. Place one cake layer, coconut side down, on a cake plate; spread with some of the frosting. Top with second layer, coconut side up; frost sides and 1 in. around top edge of cake, leaving coconut center showing.