Recipe from Ashley Christensen
Adapted by Margaux Laskey
- Total Time
- 2 hours, plus cooling
- Rating
- 4(441)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This magnificent version of the popular banana-pineapple-pecan cake developed by Southern Living magazine in 1978 is adapted from the chef Ashley Christensen's cookbook, "Poole's: Recipes from a Modern Diner." It is a Thanksgiving-worthy dessert for the pie averse: a supremely moist, dense cake crowded with sweet potato, roasted bananas, pineapple, currants and green peanuts (if you live north of the Mason-Dixon line, the plain, roasted variety work just fine). A lightly sweet, butter-cream cheese frosting finishes it off. Set aside a solid afternoon for this project cake, as you have to roast the bananas and grate the sweet potato, and the assembly takes some patience and agility — but it is well worth the toil. This recipe is for a towering three-layer version (get out your biggest mixing bowls), but you could just make a more modest, but still generously sized, two-layer cake instead. To do so, cut all of the ingredients in half (use just 2 eggs); divide the batter between two 8-inch round cake pans; and bake at the same time and temperature. —Margaux Laskey
Featured in: Review: The Poole’s Cookbook, Reimagining Southern Classics
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Ingredients
Yield:One 9-inch, 3-layer cake
- 8large bananas
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 4½cups/563 grams all-purpose flour
- 1½teaspoons baking soda
- 1½teaspoons fine sea salt
- 2cups/400 grams sugar
- ¾teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 5large eggs
- 2cups/473 milliliters neutral vegetable oil
- 28ounces/794 grams canned pineapple chunks, drained and chopped (3 cups)
- 1tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1cup/160 grams dried black currants
- 2cups/300 grams green peanuts (or use roasted, unsalted peanuts)
- 2pounds/907 grams sweet potatoes, peeled (about 3 medium)
- 2(8-ounce/227 gram) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4sticks/452 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3¾cups/454 grams confectioners’ sugar (one 1-pound box)
- 1teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2cups/300 grams roasted, salted peanuts (such as co*cktail peanuts), roughly chopped, for garnish
For the Cake
For the Icing
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Preparation
Step
1
Heat oven to 425 degrees (or 400 degrees convection). Arrange bananas (in their peels) on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in the oven until they are soft and black, about 25 minutes. Let bananas cool to room temperature. Remove and discard peels, and transfer banana flesh and any juices that collected on the pan to a food processor. Process until smooth. Measure 2 cups of the purée and set aside (reserve any extra purée for another use).
Step
2
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees (325 degrees convection). Spray three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment. In an extra-large bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt, sugar and cinnamon.
Step
3
In a separate large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil and banana purée until well combined. Fold in pineapple, vanilla, currants and peanuts.
Step
4
Grate sweet potatoes on the large holes of a box grater or with the grater attachment of a food processor. Fold grated potatoes into the wet mixture.
Step
5
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until just incorporated. Divide batter equally among the three pans and bake until firm and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cakes cool for 10 minutes in the pans on wire racks, then turn out onto the racks, peel off parchment, and let cool completely.
Step
6
Meanwhile, make the icing: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add butter and mix on low speed, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer running on low speed, add sugar by the ½ cup until it’s fully incorporated. Add salt and vanilla and mix to combine.
Step
7
To assemble the cake, use a serrated knife to trim the top of each layer to make sure it’s flat.
Step
8
Place a cake layer on a platter or cake stand. Using an offset spatula, spread 1½ cups icing over the first layer. Top with a second layer and repeat with 1½ cups icing. Top with the third layer and use remaining icing to frost the top and sides of the cake. Press roasted peanuts on the sides of the cake for garnish. The cake, once assembled, can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days, but it’s best the day it’s made. Serve at room temperature.
Tip
- For a smaller, 2-layer cake, cut all of the ingredients in half (use just 2 eggs) and divide the batter between two 8-inch round cake pans. Bake at the same time and temperature.
Ratings
4
out of 5
441
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Cooking Notes
Sara
Between the baked bananas and the pineapple, this cake is incredibly sweet! I used about 1/4 of the sugar in both the cake and the frosting, and the cake was still delicious and moist. If you're ok with straying from the traditional cake, adding some orange zest to the frosting would definitely add a lightness to it, will do that next time.
Kat
I put the ingredients in a nutrition calculator, and as expected, it was over 15,000 calories. The 12 servings the NYT staff suggested would mean 1,320 calories per slice. If you were serving 300 calorie slices, you could get 52 slices.
Liz
I have and it was insanely delicious! I messed up with the measurements when I cut the recipe in half and baked as cupcakes. So the first batch did not cook and got dumped. Make sure to follow measurements exactly. I adjusted the remaining batter, said a little prayer. Thankfully, it came out perfect! The sweet potato and peanuts made a huge difference, I didn't have currant so I used raisins. Everyone loved it! I will do this again and highly recommend this recipe.
linda sondheimer
Wow! The photo was deceptive. The yield states 9 inches, but it was 9 inches high as well as wide. The cake was delicious but take heed, it is huge and rich (like Donald Trump). I recommend cutting back for a more manageable cake.
Jennifer
I wanted something extravagant, and I got it. Had difficulty leveling it. Would love tips on how to make that happen with such a moist cake with such large chunks -- peanuts (unchopped?), currants, pineapple (I think bits rather than chunks would be better). After the first layer, I gave up on the others. So, less photogenic in my case, but still a bit of a showstopper with its gothic proportions and the nut garnish. Thanks, NYTimes!
VCaitlan
I find so many reader comments, tips and tricks helpful…but honestly, why harp on the calorie counting? If you are concerned about the calories that’s all well and good, but anyone else who is concerned is just as capable of calculating them on their own. I would prefer to consume my NYT dessert recipes in blissful ignorance of the number of calories in each serving, thank you very much. The implicit shaming of people who want to eat deliciously sugary desserts in peace is a bit distasteful.
carfreeinla
I have not made this recipe but have made the traditional Southern Living recipe ( the one that is most like this sans sweet potatoes) with GF flour and it is great! Absolutely no issues. Will definitely try this one.
Meg
I cooked it both times 5-7 minutes longer than recipe. Made it again today with walnuts - I didn't love the first time when I made it with peanuts. Today I made frosting with Irish butter - it's much richer than generic butter I used the first time. Next time I'll use generic again or less fancy butter. Hoping my family enjoys it for Thanksgiving:)
ellen
Has anyone successfully made this cake with either Bob's One for One GF flour or Cup for Cup? Looks festive and not quite the usual.
Margaux Laskey, Staff Editor
I'd wait. I'm not sure what all of that liquid from the defrosted bananas would do to the texture of an already very moist cake.
Sally McKee
It may be insanely delicious, but it's a really big cake! Too big and rich, in my opinion. If and when I make it again, I'll make the 2-layer version. No one could tell that it was sweet potato rather than carrot. Plus, mine sank to one side a little, a defect that was noticeable since the 3 layers are high.
John Chicago
I made this cake for Easter 2019. I made the 2-layer 8-inch version and it was more than enough to feed my 9 guests. A little less than a quarter of the cake is left over. I made the cake on Saturday and wrapped it in plastic wrap and kept it in the fridge overnight. It looked beautiful and everyone thought it was delicious.
jonalisa
This cake was expensive, SO much work and it did not bake well. I followed every direction to the letter. After 60 minutes in the oven, it was still undercooked. Once finally browned, I took it out and let cool. Frosted. Cake layers are very undercooked and dense. Checked my oven temp with thermometer and it is correct. No idea what I did wrong, but this was an utter fail. Did not care for texture or the flavor.
Max
I made this for Thanksgiving. It was delicious. I only had golden raisins and used those in place of currants. The only unsalted peanuts I could find were roasted in the shell. The peanut-banana combination gave this cake a wonderful southern flavor. I would definitely make this again, however it is labor intensive especially if one has to shell peanuts in addition to all the other prep work!
Margaux Laskey, Staff Editor
It intensifies their flavor.
L
I made this for my birthday party last year and devoured half of it shamelessly.
janis
Delicious and very filling, a meal in itself. Not appropriate after dinner. Maybe a good breakfast cake served with a bitter coffee.
Reggie
Anyone tried replacing the oil with browned butter?
Jing G
We made this as-is except we only used 1/4c sugar in the cake and raisins for currants as we couldn’t find dried currants. the cake was still very very sweet but good.. like a very jazzy carrot cake vibe. Made for a birthday cake and it was well received by guests.
Cookie
I've never made a cake with 3 layers. Won't having 3 pans full of batter in the oven (I have a 30") crowd and affect the temperature?
wsA
Too oily and sweet
Ann
With so many different varieties of sweet potato available can anyone recommend one variety over another?
VCaitlan
I find so many reader comments, tips and tricks helpful…but honestly, why harp on the calorie counting? If you are concerned about the calories that’s all well and good, but anyone else who is concerned is just as capable of calculating them on their own. I would prefer to consume my NYT dessert recipes in blissful ignorance of the number of calories in each serving, thank you very much. The implicit shaming of people who want to eat deliciously sugary desserts in peace is a bit distasteful.
Heather
It is a super rich cake, but I'd also say it's way more than 12 servings. We cut the first pieces at about 1/16th of the cake, and couldn't eat more than half of that. The whole thing weighed more than ten pounds!
Laryn
I made this for Easter! I used puréed dates instead of currants and blended it all well in a blender. (I don’t have a mixer) Very moist and everyone loved the flavors!
Belgonate
I would not make this again with the peanuts, but rather substitute them with walnuts — or omit them altogether. The peanuts were ‘sweaty’ and sent this otherwise delicious cake past the edge of (over-) indulgence.
Marli
Made a half batch. Used pecans instead of peanuts in cake. Used mostly cake flour and currants, supplemented with raisins and all-purpose flour. Reduced the sugar by 1/2 (used cane sugar)
Gayle
It is an undertaking. But it is amazing. I wish I had tips on how to put the chopped peanuts on the sides. Mine is not photo beautiful, but I made it as a birthday cake for my partner and I think he will love it tomorrow!
joy Gimbel
If can’t add nuts due to allergies is still worth making as sounds so yummy? Would you recommend adding something to those who are allergic to nuts, thanks
John Chicago
I made this cake for Easter 2019. I made the 2-layer 8-inch version and it was more than enough to feed my 9 guests. A little less than a quarter of the cake is left over. I made the cake on Saturday and wrapped it in plastic wrap and kept it in the fridge overnight. It looked beautiful and everyone thought it was delicious.
picassso83
This Cake is absolutely exquisite. A work of art. Like a culinary, velvety hug. The flavors are gorgeous and compliment each other flawlessly. The sweet potato and peanut are punctuated by a warm tropical accent from the banana and pineapple that brings to mind homemade sweet breads and comfort. The interior texture is like a divine pudding and not mushy. The cream cheese icing is flawless— cutting the bake perfectly. Don’t skip the roasted peanut garnish. Just wow. Thank you with gratitude.
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