Pound Cake with Ice Cream and Sauteed Bananas and Ginger Syrup

Ingredients

• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus 1 teaspoon
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour, plus 2 cups
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Sauteed Bananas and Ginger Syrup, recipe follows

Directions

For the pound cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Grease a 9 by 4 by 3-inch baking pan with 1 teaspoon of butter, then lightly flour with 2 teaspoons of the flour.

Sift the remaining 2 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl, and set aside.

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer and cream on high speed. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl, alternating with the eggs, beating on low speed, and scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla and beat until just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the cake has risen, is golden brown on top, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

To serve, slice the pound cake and place in dessert bowls. Scoop vanilla ice cream onto the cake and spoon the bananas and syrup over each serving.

Sauteed Bananas and Ginger Syrup:

• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup coarsely grated ginger
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound ripe bananas, cut in half and halved lengthwise
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice
• 1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened

In a medium saucepan, combine the wine, water, sugar, and ginger, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a saute pan and melt. Add the bananas, cut sides down, add the five-spice and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Transfer to a bowl. Pour the hot syrup onto the bananas and gently toss. Let stand at least 10 minutes.