Ingredients

Banana:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, in small pieces, plus more for the cooker
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar, plus for lining the cooker
3 tablespoons dark rum
2 pounds ripe medium bananas (about 6), peeled and halved lengthwise

Cake:
3/4 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1⁄4 teaspoon fine salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (1/2 stick)
2/3 cups sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons whole milk, at room temperature

Ice cream for serving

Directions

Bananas: Butter the inside of a slow
cooker, line completely with foil, and then butter the foil. Turn on to HIGH. Sprinkle
butter, brown sugar and rum over the foil on the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover the
bottom with the banana halves, cut side down, in a slightly overlapping pattern. Press the
bananas into the sugar

Cake: Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into a large bowl; then
whisk to combine evenly.

In another bowl, slowly beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until just
blended. Raise the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of
the bowl occasionally, about 10 minutes. Beat in the egg and then the yolk, allowing each
to be fully incorporated before adding the next.

While mixing slowly, add the flour mixture to the butter in 3 parts, alternating with the
milk in 2 parts, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix briefly at medium speed to make
a smooth batter.

Pour the batter over the bananas and smooth with a spatula to even it out. Lay a doubled
length of paper towel from end to end over the top of the slow cooker, to line the lid and
create a tighter seal. (See note.) Cover the cake tightly with the lid and continue to
cook on HIGH, until the cake begins to brown slightly on the sides and springs back when
touched in the middle, about 3 1/2 hours. Turn off the slow cooker and let the cake set,
about 20 minutes more.

Using the foil, lift the cake from the slow cooker; set on the counter to cool, about 30
minutes more. Fold back the foil, and carefully invert cake onto a platter so you can see
the caramelized bananas.

Slice or spoon cake into bowls and serve with ice cream, if desired.

Cook's Note: Slow cookers cook with moist heat. The paper towel helps to collect
additional condensation from dripping off the lid back onto the cake.

Copyright (c) 2007 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved