Banana Cake with Crunchy Topping

Kids and adults LOVE this moist cake and the topping seems to be everybody's favorite...

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Yields: 1 8x10 inch cake

Ingredients

• Cake

• 2  cups  sifted cake flour
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄3 cups granulated sugar
• 1  cup shortening (I use Golden Crisco)
• 1⁄2 cup  sour milk (milk with 2 tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice works too)
• 1  cup  mashed ripe banana (I use 1 1/2 cups for a really moist cake)
• 2  eggs
• 2  teaspoons vanilla

• Topping

• 1⁄4 cup margarine or 1⁄4 cup butter
• 3⁄4 cup light brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  shredded coconut
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped  nuts (I use ground almonds)

Directions

1. Sift flour, baking powder, soda, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl.
2. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add in mashed bananas and sour milk.
4. Mix by hand 300 strokes or in a mixer at low speed for 2 minutes.
5. Add eggs and vanilla.
6. Beat for 1 minute on low speed or by hand 150 strokes.
7. 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.
8. While the cake is cooking prepare crunchy topping.
9. Cream butter and sugar.
10. Add coconut and nuts.
11. Remove cake from oven and turn dial to broil.
12. 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).