Gluten Free Banana Nut (or Coconut) Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:

For the Topping:
• Oil or gluten-free oil spray, for pan
• 3 ripe bananas, sliced
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 3/4 cup light or golden brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or more water)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts* (and/or 1 cup shredded coconut)

Instructions:

For the Cake:
1. 1-1/2 cups Carla's Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend Recipe, plus 1 tablespoon for dusting (I used cornstarch instead of tapioca flour)
2. 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder (Rumford's)
3. 1/4 teaspoon salt
4. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
5. 1 cup granulated sugar
6. 2 extra-large eggs, separated, at room temperature
7. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8. 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
9. The Perfect Sweetened Whipped Cream (optional)
10. Double the caramel sauce and set half aside for topping. (optional)
To Make the Topping:
11. Oil and dust with flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
12. Add the butter, sugar, and lemon juice to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the sugar melts. Heat to no higher than 190 - 200°F.
13. Pour the sugar mixture into the prepared pan. Rotate to evenly distribute.
14. Add the banana slices, press them far into the caramel mixture, press in the walnuts or scatter the top with coconut, and set the pan aside.
To Make the Cake:
15. Preheat oven to 350°F.
16. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour blend, baking powder, and salt; set it aside.
17. In the bowl of your mixer, cream butter and sugar until combined thoroughly, about 3 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add egg yolks and vanilla and beat after each addition until fluffy.
18. Scrape the sides of the bowl and sift in one-third of the flour and half of the milk, and beat it until it is smooth. Add another third of the flour and the remaining milk and blend until well incorporated. Add the rest of the flour and mix well.
19. In a clean mixing bowl with a clean whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until almost stiff peaks form. Fold half of the egg whites into the cake mixture, blend well until you can no longer see egg whites.
20. Fold in the other half of the egg whites and, again, blend well.
21. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and using a rubber spatula, smooth out the top.
22. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown, and when a skewer inserted halfway down into the cake comes out clean.
23. Transfer the cake while still in the pan for to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
24. Invert onto a cake platter and leave inverted for 30 seconds.
25. Remove the pan and allow to cool further before serving.
26. Serve this cake topped with sweetened whipped cream or additional sauce. Both provide additional moisture to its thick layer. Whipped cream balances out the sweetness.

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