I don’t remember the first spice I ever purchased with my own money, but I’m betting it was a packet of McCormick® chili seasoning. And I’m betting it was during my senior year of college. I lived in a cozy apartment above my professor’s garage. It was furnished with a blue couch from Goodwill that was missing its back legs, a twin bed, a sturdy desk, a dresser, and a couple of plants I was doing my best to keep alive.

There wasn’t a kitchen, but there was a fridge downstairs in the garage and a microwave in my room. Mike assembled an electric skillet for me (he likes to say, “remember that skillet I built you?”) as well. My makeshift “kitchen” wasn’t much, but since I’d left the comfort (and cost) of a meal plan behind the previous year, it would have to do.

Many of my meals were hot dogs and quesadillas, usually devoured with lots of salsa while watching The Cosby Show, or People’s Court. But I did call my mom and ask her to send over her chili recipe — the one we ate with peanut butter maple syrup sandwiches when I was little.

Heading to the grocery store to buy the chili ingredients was the beginning of a new adventure for me. In those days, the aisles and ingredients were unfamiliar, and I ambled to and fro searching for each item. Each line of the recipe flooded my head with new questions: Where are the canned tomatoes? Do I buy dry beans or canned? Where is the spice aisle? How lean do I want my ground beef? Wait, do I own a spoon?

I do remember my mom specifying that she used McCormick’s chili seasoning though. And I remember sprinkling the packet on my ground beef just as she’d instructed. And finally, I remember the utter satisfaction of sitting down with a bowl full of cheesy, sour creamy, spicy chili (and watching A Different World, no doubt) that I’d made myself.

McCormick is definitely a part of my earliest cooking memories, and it claims a huge chunk of my spice rack (or really, spice shoe organizer) today. Far from being stuck in the past, though, the company released the McCormick Flavor Forecast 2012 on Tuesday.

This report, compiled by chefs, sensory scientists, trend trackers, marketing experts, and food technologists, highlights up-and-coming flavor trends around the world. It’s used both to guide the company’s product development as well as to inspire home cooks with new flavor combinations.

While McCormick has been producing a Flavor Forecast since 2000, this year’s report is the first to be global in scope. It’s organized into six trends: Honoring Roots, Quest for the Ultimate, Veggies in Vogue, Simplicity Shines, Flavorful Swaps, and No Boundaries. Each trend includes two innovative spice and ingredient combinations to spark your culinary creativity.

One of the flavor combinations that sounded particularly tempting to me was ginger and coconut. I decided to use this simple pair to create an indulgent Caramelized Banana Upside-Down Coconut Cake. Upside-down cakes are both simple to create and delicious. You’ll love this comforting, nostalgic dessert even more with a few modern twists: the bold zing of ginger in the caramelized banana topping, a moist coconut cake in the place of a regular yellow cake, and a big dollop of coconut whipped cream on top. I added a generous sprinkle of toasted coconut for extra texture and flavor. In short, it was insane. I can’t wait for you to taste this thing!

In the meantime, I’d love for you to join in the conversation: which of McCormick’s flavor combinations could you see yourself using? What are some ideas for recipes you want to create? Get inspired!

Caramelized Banana Upside-Down Coconut Cake With Coconut Whipped Cream


Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking, with coconut whipped cream adapted from Nutty Kitchen
Yield: 10 pieces

This thing is downright celestial. Upside-down cakes are easy to create, but come out so beautiful and delicious. This one uses a sweet, tender coconut cake in the place of a yellow cake, and adds the bold zing of ginger to the caramelized banana topping. Enjoy it with a cloud of cool coconut whipped cream (one of my new favorite things!) and some crunchy toasted coconut.

Topping Ingredients:
3/4 stick unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
4 large just-ripe bananas, cut on a diagonal into 1/2-inch slices (you might want to have an extra banana or two on hand just in case your bananas are skinnier or something weird)
1 teaspoon McCormick ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped McCormick crystallized ginger
pinch salt

Cake Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Thai Kitchen coconut milk
1 teaspoon McCormick vanilla
1 egg

Coconut Whipped Cream Ingredients:
2 cans Thai Kitchen coconut milk (refrigerated overnight)
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon McCormick vanilla
flaked coconut for toasting and topping

Directions:
NOTE: This recipe is designed for a 10-inch cast iron skillet, but it can also be made in a 10-inch cake pan or a 12-inch cast iron skillet. To make it in a cake pan, prepare the topping in a separate saucepan first, add it to your cake pan, and then continue with the recipe as usual. If you make it in a 12-inch skillet, it’ll produce a thinner cake, may require an extra banana or two, and may take about 5 minutes less to bake. Because cast iron can vary, no matter what size you use, be sure to check the cake’s doneness early and often, starting around 20 minutes, with a toothpick inserted into various spots.

Toast coconut flakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread flakes out on baking sheet. Bake for a few minutes, stirring every minute or so, until the coconut is lightly browned (watch it like a hawk). Transfer to a plate to let cool.

Make cake: In a 10-inch skillet (see note above about using different pan sizes), melt the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the brown sugar, ground ginger, crystallized ginger, and salt and simmer for 4 minutes (or until the mixture is bubbly and caramelized), whisking constantly. Be careful — hot sugar is no joke! After 4 minutes, remove the mixture from heat and add the bananas as close together as possible, fitting as many in as you can.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the oil and coconut milk and whisk like a crazy person for 1 minute. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk it in well. Pour the batter over the banana mixture, evening it out with a spatula.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until it’s lightly brown on top and a toothpick inserted in various parts of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let cool in the pan for exactly 5 minutes (any more and it will harden in the pan, and less and it might fall apart) before running a knife around the edge of it and carefully (use oven mitts! hold both sides of the skillet, holding the plate on with the heels of your hands! enlist a spotter! did I mention that hot sugar is no joke?) invert it onto a large serving platter.

Make coconut whipped cream: Using a spoon, remove the cold coconut solids from each can of coconut milk (save the coconut water for other uses). Place it in a chilled bowl with vanilla and powdered sugar. Whisk like the dickens with a chilled beater until it has a whipped cream-like consistency (this probably took over 10 minutes with my electric mixer, but it’s worth it). Serve cake warm with a big dollop of cold coconut whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted coconut.

You don’t see many product reviews on Willow Bird Baking, because I’m choosy with how I share this space. My choosiness reflects my own ideals for Willow Bird in addition to my respect for the community we have here. When I get the opportunity to work with a company I genuinely love and use in my own kitchen, though, I’m always thrilled to share. McCormick is just such a company, and I’m excited to share their forecast of upcoming flavor trends.

Disclosure: McCormick sent me a Flavor Forecast Immersion Kit of ingredients, and compensated me for other ingredients and for my time and creative energy. I value my readers such that all opinions expressed on Willow Bird are always my own.

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by | 33 Comments

33 Comments on Caramelized Banana Upside-Down Coconut Cake & Coconut Whipped Cream

  1. Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
    January 14, 2012 at 11:02 pm (13 years ago)

    Wow this looks amazing. The bananas, all caramelized and wonderful. And then that coconut cream…WOW.

    You outdid yourself!

    Reply
  2. CulinarilyCourtney
    January 14, 2012 at 11:41 pm (13 years ago)

    I loved this post so much. I moved out of my college dorms last year and am in “my first place” now. I can’t tell you how many times I have had to call up my mom as I am making dinner and ask her what temperature I should heat the oven to, or what the difference is between simmering and boiling, etc. haha. Your cake looks delicious too!

    Reply
  3. Kelly
    January 15, 2012 at 2:15 am (13 years ago)

    Wow. Just wow. I wish you told me that I was supposed to buy bananas when I went to the supermarket awhile ago. I want this right. now. I don’t know what to do with myself here.

    Reply
  4. Sandra
    January 15, 2012 at 4:21 am (13 years ago)

    Sounds exotic, tropical, and very delicious. Pretty pics too. I’d like to know more about the flavor trends.

    Reply
  5. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
    January 15, 2012 at 1:41 pm (13 years ago)

    This cake is lovely! The bananas on top are absolutely beautiful! And that whipped creams sounds awesome!

    Reply
  6. modernworkinggirl
    January 15, 2012 at 4:25 pm (13 years ago)

    I love your recipes. This one is making me drool!!

    Reply
  8. Megan
    January 15, 2012 at 7:15 pm (13 years ago)

    That cake looks crazy good! MCCormick spices, I’m sure, were involved in a lot of my first meals out on my own too.

    Reply
  10. Yammie @ Yammie's Noshery
    January 15, 2012 at 9:22 pm (13 years ago)

    Wow. This looks fab. I’ve been wanting to try that whipped coconut business, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. I’m now a follower! 🙂

    Reply
  11. Foodiewife
    January 15, 2012 at 9:45 pm (13 years ago)

    McCormick Schilling played special role in my life, at one time. They used to be in Salinas, CA (where I live) and I once worked there as an office temp. I love their spices, and I would imagine they are very pleased with this beautiful recipe. I love banana and coconut, together. Who can resist anything that’s been caramelized? Not I! Great job.

    Reply
  12. Jenni
    January 16, 2012 at 1:11 am (13 years ago)

    The first time I went to my husband’s parent’s house to cook dinner, the only spice in the whole house was salt. Hahaha. I am excited for the new spice combinations from McCormick, I think they all sound so intriguing and delicious, I cant wait to try them! And this cake looks great!

    Reply
  13. Joanne
    January 16, 2012 at 1:52 am (13 years ago)

    I’ve been drooling over those spice combinations since they were released, dreaming up possibilities! I think the one that intrigued me MOST was eggplant, honey and harissa because I’ve used it before in Middle Eastern foods. But this one was a close second. And now I know why…because it was destined for this beautiful cake!

    Reply
  14. Kayla @ Sheriff of the Kitchen
    January 16, 2012 at 5:42 pm (13 years ago)

    I love this! Banana and coconut AND ginger, yes please! I want to play around with the cumin so frito flavor combo. Although Ethnic cuisine is super on trend which you can see from the flavor forecast that almost 3/4 of the combos lay along those lines. Grapefruit with red pepper makes me a little nervous… I love grapefruit and red pepper but not together, hmmm I wonder just how they intend for that combo to be used.

    Reply
  15. Chef jen
    January 17, 2012 at 4:42 am (13 years ago)

    Coconut whipped cream!!?? Geniuse! The ultimate non dairy topping

    Reply
  16. Lauren at Keep It Sweet
    January 17, 2012 at 5:25 pm (13 years ago)

    Those caramelize bananas look amazing, I’d be tempted to eat them right off the top of that cake!

    Reply
  17. Alicia@HealthyHomemade
    January 22, 2012 at 11:38 pm (13 years ago)

    I love upside down cakes they are always very impressive looking (not to mention delicious!). Thank you for sharing this!

    Reply
  18. Kelly
    January 25, 2012 at 8:09 pm (13 years ago)

    I made this cake last night….one word….amazing! My family LOVED it and wants me to make it again. I would definitely recommend this! The only thing I did not use was the crystallized ginger, I am not a huge ginger fan. I did use the ground ginger but only a 1/2 tsp. Thank you so much for this recipe!!

    Reply
  19. Brandie
    January 30, 2012 at 10:09 am (13 years ago)

    I made this tonight and it was a huge hit! Guests were asking for seconds! I also have a lactose intolerant daughter so by substituting the butter with a dairy free margarine it was perfect for her, right down to the coconut whipped cream! I found the coconut cream on it’s own at the store which removed the need to chill the milk overnight. Thanks so much for a delicious recipe.

    Reply
  20. Genevieve
    February 10, 2013 at 12:09 am (12 years ago)

    Made this this evening for my boyfriend’s mum and it was just the perfect dessert! He made the main, and it all went down very well, so we’re feeling very accomplished right now for having successfully hosted a parent in our own home for the first time 🙂
    Had a horrible moment when it was in the oven and I was tidying away and realised that I had put in ground cinnamon instead of ground ginger… but the flavour combination was really good, a happy kitchen accident 🙂 I’m intrigued to make it agan with the ginger to see the comparison!

    Reply
  22. Kelly
    August 31, 2014 at 11:44 pm (10 years ago)

    This looks delicious. I cannot find crystallized ginger, is it ok to not use it, or should I replace it with ground ginger? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Julie Ruble
      August 31, 2014 at 11:52 pm (10 years ago)

      No worries! It just adds a little zing 🙂 Feel free to leave it out. I wouldn’t try and replace it. Enjoy!

      Reply
  23. Anjali
    June 3, 2016 at 8:47 pm (8 years ago)

    Welp, just wasted a bunch of butter, sugar and bananas because after 4 minutes of wisking and simmering I ended up with a burnt wad of butter and sugar. I am a very experienced baker, so I don’t know what could have gone wrong.

    Reply
    • Julie Ruble
      June 3, 2016 at 8:52 pm (8 years ago)

      Hi Anjali! Sorry to hear that. It should caramelize, but not burn. Be sure you’re whisking constantly over medium-high heat. If it caramelizes before 4 minutes, there’s no reason to keep cooking to burnt.

      Reply

6Pingbacks & Trackbacks on Caramelized Banana Upside-Down Coconut Cake & Coconut Whipped Cream

  1. […] Yeah. You guessed it. I got this recipe from Julie over at Willow Bird Baking. Again, she hits it out of the ball park. And again, her pictures gave my pictures a wedgie, stole my pictures’ lunch money and then slammed my pictures up against a locker while the cool kids laughed. So really, if you are skeptical about how delicious this thing actually can look, check out her site. […]

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