Orange-Banana Cake

This Bundt cake is a food processor recipe, and the machine does nearly all the work. Orange zest gets chopped fine with the sugar, then cold butter gets pulsed in, followed by eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and mashed bananas. The dry ingredients go in last with just two or three quick pulses to combine.

The orange zest processed directly with the sugar releases its oils into the sugar crystals, creating an intensely fragrant base that infuses the entire cake. You’ll smell the orange before you taste the banana.

Grated coconut sprinkled into the buttered Bundt pan before the batter goes in creates a toasted coconut crust on the outside of the cake when it’s turned out. It’s a small detail that adds texture and a tropical note that ties the orange and banana flavors together.

Sour cream keeps the crumb moist and adds a slight tang that balances the sweetness of the ripe bananas.

Kitchen Tips

• Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots. They mash smoother and are sweeter than underripe ones
• Don’t overprocess the batter after adding the flour. Two to three on/off pulses is all you need. More than that develops gluten and the cake will be tough
• Let the cake rest in the pan for 8 to 10 minutes before turning it out. Too soon and it falls apart; too long and it sticks
• The coconut in the pan can burn if the oven runs hot. Check at 35 minutes

Variations

• Replace sour cream with Greek yogurt or buttermilk for a lighter tang
• Add ½ cup of chocolate chips to the batter for a chocolate-banana-orange combination
• Drizzle a simple orange glaze (powdered sugar + orange juice) over the cooled cake