Ingredients
2 teaspoons ground cardamom (for spiced sugar)
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon (for spiced sugar)
10 tablespoons sugar (for spiced sugar)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom (for bread)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (for bread)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/2 cups cake flour
6 medium bananas (very ripe or roasted)
4 large eggs (room temperature, lightly beaten)
2 cups sugar (for bread)
1 cup shortening
Step by step
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8x4-inch loaf pans.
In a KitchenAid Stand Mixer using the Flat Beater Accessory, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Beat in eggs. Beat in bananas.
Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and cardamom; gradually add to creamed mixture, beating just until combined.
In a small bowl, combine spiced sugar ingredients. Sprinkle 3 teaspoons into each pan. Turn each pan to completely coat sides and bottom, leaving some excess in bottom of pan. Pour batter into pans. Sprinkle evenly with remaining cinnamon-cardamom sugar.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
Test Kitchen Tip: If your bananas aren't very ripe, you can roast them. Leaving them in the peels, pierce several times with a fork. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 300°F until peels are brown, 20-30 minutes. Let cool before using in recipe.