Banana Shortcake

Chiquita Banana says: "A fresh fruit shortcake for all year around!"

With shortcakes on hand from earlier this week, let's get a little more mileage out of those biscuits with this recipe from Chiquita Banana's Recipe Book.

Banana Shortcake
(Use fully ripe bananas...yellow peel flecked with brown)

Split homemade or baker's gingerbread, cake, cupcakes, or biscuits into 2 layers. Place whipped cream and sliced ripe bananas between layers and on top. Garnish with a cherry, if desired. Just before serving, peel and slice additional bananas and arrange them around the base of the Banana Shortcake, if desired.

It's amazing that those three simple ingredients could turn into such a light, delicious treat!

While preparing my banana shortcake, I was advised by a smart-looking banana wearing glasses and a mortar board, "Don't skip these 'how-to-do-its'!" So, of course, I'll share them with you. By the way, did you notice Professor Banana is also wearing a dress and heels? Pretty progressive for 1950.

Enjoy this plethora of tips and factoids as you buy, ripen, flute, slice, spread, preserve, and dress up your own bananas.

Just in case you need some help, here's a tutorial on how to mash bananas.

And see here, bananas are for everyone! I'm no teenager, but I could use some of those eye-brightening, skin-clearing benefits. Duly noted, Bananas.

Finally, some notes on nutrition and measurements for your recipes. Did you know that a cup of mashed bananas requires more bananas than a cup of sliced bananas? You did? Well, I didn't. I'm a beginner.

There you have it! Strawberry Shortcake's cousin, Chiquita Banana Shortcake. Not to be confused with this little shortcake, Sheila. She's my favorite.

Even though this is an all-year round type of recipe, banana shortcake feels particularly well-suited for summer. But with temperatures getting a little cooler this week, I think it's time to dig up some recipes that are better-suited for fall. Here's looking at you, apples!