Banana-Coconut White Chocolate Coffeecake

Portlander Rose Hubler is a striking woman with salt and pepper hair that seasons her beauty. She is warm, almost shy, and very down to earth. Her voice is soft but her ideas are definite: She never plans to retire because she has found what gives her every day pleasure: She loves to bake and she has developed a line of baked goods under the name of Morsels.

One of the most popular items is her Banana-Coconut White Chocolate Coffeecake. Moist and rich with banana flavor, the cake surprises you with cool chunks of creamy white chocolate. It’s a sensation that require, "Just one more bite." Hubler’s inspiration for the cake came from one of her cookbook mentors, Maida Heatter.

When Hubler sells this cake at market, she divides the batter into small loaves that she finishes without any frosting, just a few sprinkles of sesame seeds. When she makes it for company, Hubler bakes the batter in a large bundt pan and frosts the finished cake with a simple microwave white chocolate glaze. Either way, it’s a dessert worth taking to a favorite place and retiring with a cup of tea and an appetite.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

2 3/4 all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons dark rum

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 large ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup (6 ounces) white chocolate chips or chunks

1/2 cup (3 ounces) white chocolate chips or chunks

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoon whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a bundt pan 10-inches by 4 1/2-inches.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Mix well until blended. Over low speed, add the eggs, one at a time and beat until blended. Add the rum and vanilla and continue to beat, over medium speed for 5 minutes. Add the bananas and beat until blended. Over low speed, slowly add the flour mixture until just blended. By hand, fold in the coconut and white chocolate. Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to a serving plate.

To make the glaze: In the microwave (or in a small saucepan or double boiler), melt together the chocolate chips, butter and cream. Whisk until blended and drizzle over the cake.

from Rose Hubler, Morsels

This recipe is recommended for the intermediate cook.

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