Banana-Date Tea Cake

Tartine Bakery's Banana-Date Tea Cake.

I underestimated how much I would enjoy eating cake for breakfast every morning. Inspired by the fall weather in L.A. (i.e., temperatures under 90 degrees), last weekend I made Tartine's Pumpkin Tea Cake. I thought it would be good; it was great. I had it every morning and even some evenings. When it was gone by Friday, I didn't know what to do with myself. Without the spicy, sweet, perfect tea cake, I was forced to search my office drawers for sustenance. And that's why I made myself the most hated by eating popcorn at 8:00 a.m. Twice. (In my defense, the second time was at the theater and I can't not get the caramel popcorn at the ArcLight, regardless of time, company or cost.)

Is cake for breakfast good for you? Yes. Yes it is. And anyway, I do yoga every morning at 6:30 a.m. I deserve this. Which is why I got up today and made Tartine's Banana-Date Tea Cake. It's full of bananas, cinnamon, dates and walnuts. It's got a banana and sugar crust, which became caramelized after spending over an hour in the oven. I got a little batter on my finger while mixing the dates in and did what every chef on the Food Network does: tasted it. 

Omg. Good. It's just so good. And you should have smelled it baking. 

So beautiful! Pre-bake. 

Bananas.

Dates! Or possibly small beetles. 

My mom only buys her spices from Penzeys, so naturally I do as well. The coffee beans have nothing to do with Banana Tea Cake, but I bought 'em and they add visual interest.

Banana bread!

Ingredients

1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 medium bananas (very ripe)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cup dates, pitted and coarsely chopped

Topping
1 medium banana
2 tbsp sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-5 pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda and stir to mix. Set aside.

Peel the bananas and place in a second bowl. Mash with a fork until you have a chunky puree (or just pop in your standing mixer for a minute or two). Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt to the bananas and stir to mix well. Set aside.

In a third mixing bowl, beat the butter until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the sugar and beat until light in color and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Slowly add the banana mixture and beat until incorporated. Again scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then mix for another 30 seconds to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated.

Using the rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture. Then fold in the nuts and dates. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, making sure all the ingredients are fully incorporated.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface with an offset spatula. To top the cake, peel the banana and cut in half lengthwise. The place each half cut side down and cut in half lengthwise, to yield 4 long slices. Lay the slices on the top of the batter. Sprinkle with the sugar.

Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 20 minutes, and then invert onto the rack, turn right side up, and let cool completely. Serve the cake at room temperature. It will keep, well wrapped, at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for about 1 week.