Banana / Passionfruit Upside-Down Cake...for a July 4th Picnic...

Short of ideas for the July 4th picnic? (or any picnic for that matter..!) This cake is very easy to make, yet I think you'll receive the "originality" prize from the other picnic participants !!! I adore the tropical flavors...the tanginess of passionfruit finds a perfect balance in sweet banana caramel....

Just try it !

One of the good things about blogging is that you learn a lot about other cultures, traditions... I didn't know Americans celebrated their Independence Day with picnics...In Argentina, Independence Day is July 9th (Have you noticed many countries in America became independent in July, of different years? What is it? A month appropriate for breaking up chains? AND France! though there, it is not independence exactly...) 

Well, to go back to my original point (my husband always complains about how much I digress in conversation!), in Argentina, we celebrate with stews, empanadas....Hot dishes for our cold July celebration!!, so the idea of a picnic never crossed my mind...until today... BUT having horribly high temperatures here in Paris, I decided to leave aside my original idea of "staging" this post in the open air....and I decided my multi-purpose (if tiny) balcony would be just right !!!

Happy Birthday, USA !!!, and for my readers of other countries...enjoy this summery cake as much as I do!!

For the recipe, look here....

To make this banana / passion fruit cake, you will need:

 * eggs, 3

 * sugar, 150gr

 * butter, 200gr

 * flour, 150gr 

 * vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon

 * bananas, 2

 * passionfruit, 2

(for the caramel)

 * sugar, 150gr

 * water, 4 tablespoons

 * lemon juice, 4 drops

Pre-heat your oven ( 180°C) and butter a cake mold (here I used a 18cm one). In a standmixer, whisk the eggs and sugar till the mixture whitens.  Add the vanilla extract, the butter (melted), and the flour (sifted). Cut one passionfruit, put the pulp and seeds in a strainer. Press with a spoon. Add this juice to the cake mixture. Whisk everything well. Is it too much to ask you to do this in synchronicity with the caramel? Like this this cake will take no time!

Make the caramel bringing the sugar and water to a boil, in a thick-bottomed saucepan, during 6/8' (or when the caramel has a beautiful amber color) Take the pan off the heat and add the lemon juice drops. 

Pour the caramel in the mold. Accomodate the bananas previously cut in thick slices, together with the seeds and juice of the other passion fruit. Pour the cake mixture on top. Bake for 35/40'. Unmold on a dish.

Recipe adapted from: Elle à Table.