Banana Upside Down Cake

2 tablespoons melted

butter 2 tablespoons cane

sugar

7-8 small bananas 1½ cups all-purpose

flour

1½ teaspoons baking

powder ½ teaspoon baking

soda

2 teaspoons ground

cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground

black pepper ½ teaspoon salt 2eggs

2⁄3 cup extra-virgin

olive oil

1⁄3 cup maple syrup 2⁄3 cup plain

whole-milk yogurt

Zest from 2 oranges

Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Brush melted butter on a 9- to 10-inch pan, preferably with a removable bottom.

Sprinkle cane sugar over melted butter.

Peel the bananas, slice them in half lengthwise and place them cut-side down on the pan, fitting as many as possible.

Stir together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, black pepper and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, olive oil, maple syrup, plain yogurt and the zest of two oranges until evenly mixed.

Stir in the dry ingredients and pour the batter evenly over the bananas.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tester inserted just in the cake part comes out clean.

Let the cake rest for 5 to 10 minutes then unmold and flip over. Serve with sliced oranges.

Notes and variations

• This cake is best eaten within hours of preparing — even better when shared with friends or neighbors.

• To make a glutenfree version, substitute all-purpose flour for equal combination of almond flour and rice flour.

• Maple syrup is delicious but not essential; substitute it for ½ cup cane sugar.

Makes 10-12 slices