Christina Tosi’s Banana Green Curry Cake

My sister-in-law (not by law but let’s not get into the details here) gave me her copy of Christina Tosi’s All About Cake. As happens to all of us, she got it out of excitement for Tosi but then found she didn’t have the time to actually bake from it.

While I side-eyed all the cookbooks (and books-books) I have that I haven’t cooked from yet, I promised I’d bake from this book. Since it is my goal to bake more this year and since I love Tosi this shouldn’t a problem (remind me of this later).

We’ve got the funk: green curry in cake? Hell yeah!

As someone who is more savory than sweet and a lover of funky flavors, the first thing that caught my eye was this Banana Green Curry pound cake with black pepper butter. I turned it into a Bundt cake because I don’t have a loaf pan.

This cake is not as funky as the name would have it. It’s more sweet with spicy undertones, which is perfect for people just getting into the funk. I might add a bit more green curry the next time I make this, because why the fuck not?

Tosi says you can toast it as well, but I found my cake was gone before I could try that.

A word on Christina Tosi recipes

Tosi’s recipes always sound very intimidating because she uses a lot of ingredients. Beyond those ingredient lists I’ve found most of her cakes are still your basic “mix your wets and dries separately, then together and then bake”-bakes. So take a deep breath, go for a shop and dig in.

Banana curry cake from Christina Tosi's All About Cake

Dorothy Porker

This banana green curry cake is lush and moist with a nice little kick at the end.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Birthdays, Dessert, Party snack

Cuisine American, Fusion

Servings 8

Equipment

• Oven
• Bundt or loaf shape cake pan
• Small bowl x2
• Fork
• Large bowls x2
• Whisk
• Wire rack

Ingredients

  

• 2 medium - 280 gr ripe bananas ripe as in oozing out of their skins ripe

Wet ingredients

• 12 T - 170 gr butter melted
• 3/4 c - 165 gr sour cream
• 1 T - 18 gr Thai green curry paste
• 1/2 t - 2 gr banana extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk this is just the yolk from a large egg

Dry ingredients

• 1 c - 200 gr sugar
• 1 c - 135 gr all purpose flour
• 1 c - 120 gr cake flour see instructions below if you can't find this
• 1 1/2 T - 6 gr baking powder
• 1 t - 6 gr baking soda
• 1 1/4 t - 5 gr salt

For the black pepper butter, optional

• 7 T - 95 gr butter softened
• 3 t - 10 gr sugar
• 1 t - 4 gr salt
• 1 1/2 t - 3.5 gr black pepper freshly ground

Instructions

 

To make your own cake flour

• If you cannot find American cake flour, you can make your own by blending together 1 c - 125 grams of plain flour with 1 T - 15 grams of corn flour. This makes little over 1 cup, so for this recipe you will need to make 4 batches of cake flour and you’ll be left with a little extra for another day.

To make the cake

• Preheat your oven to roughly 350° F/ 160° C. Grease and dust whichever pan you're using for this.
• Place 2 very ripe bananas in a small bowl and mash with a fork.
• Now whisk together the 12 T - 170 gr of melted butter, 3/4 c - 165 gr of sour cream, 1 T - 18 gr of curry paste, 1/2 t - 2 gr of banana extract, 2 large eggs and 1 large egg yolk in a large bowl. Add the bananas and stir to combine.
• Mix together 1 c - 200 gr of sugar, 1 c - 135 gr of all purpose and 1 c - 120 gr of cake flour with 1 1/2 tsp - 5 gr of baking powder, 1 tsp - 6 gr of baking soda and 1 1/4 tsp - 5 gr of salt in another large bowl. Pour the wet ingredients in with the dry and stir to combine. Use a whisk to break up any lumps.
• Finally pour the combined batter into your greased and dusted cake pan. Bake the cake for 60 minutes or so, until the cake rises and puffs. Tap the top of your cake with your fingertips. If the cake bounces back firmly and the center is no longer jiggly, the cake should be done. If it does not pass this test, give it another 5 to 10 minutes and then try again.
• Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 45 minutes, before turning it over onto a wire rack and allowing it to cool completely. While you try your patience you can make the black pepper butter.

To make the black pepper butter, optional

• Mix together 7 T - 95 gr of softened butter with 3 t - 10 gr of sugar, 1 t - 4 gr of salt and 1 1/2 t - 3.5 gr of freshly ground black pepper until airy.

Notes

The cake will keep in your fridge in an airtight container or wrapped in clingfilm for 1 week.

The black pepper butter will last for roughly 1 month in the fridge, and is a great excuse to bake a second cake.

Keyword all about cake, american cakes, christina tosi, milk bar