Caramel Banana Coffee Cake

I was going to write about the cake I made Monday night, then discovered I didn't have a picture of it in my computer. And I'm not going to cut one of the last pieces of it, because then I'd be forced to eat it. And none of you would want me to make that sacrifice for you, would you? I thought not. After all, if I lose 5 pounds before the holidays, then I can gain them back during the holidays. HAH! As if I can preplan my fat management! Hmfff. Anyway,

I made the coffee cake this weekend, when a friend was here with his son's friend to pick up a car. I know what to do when men walk into one's house: Feed Them. Early and Often. This is really easy. It requires the following mess equipment: One pie plate, one measuring cup, one fork, one knife and a couple of measuring spoons. No Mess! Who could ask for anything more?

CARAMEL BANANA COFFEE CAKE

Cake:

1-3/4 cup flour
6 tsp or 2 envelopes yeast
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup warm water (110 degrees or so, or slightly warmer than your hand)
2 tbsp melted butter

Don't preheat your oven!

Melt the butter in your trusty measuring cup, in the microwave, of course. Meanwhile, pour the dry ingredients in a greased or sprayed pie plate, and stir together with the fork. Pour in the butter and the warm water, and stir together with the fork. It'll form a loose dough ball; press that evenly into the pan with your trusty fork. Are you ready to reuse your measuring cup? No washing required.

Topping:

2 tbsp melted butter
1/3 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 banana, sliced (I took one out of my freezer)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Melt the butter in the microwave in your measuring cup. Pour in the corn syrup. The butter will float on top of the corn syrup, so you can pour the syrup in with the melted butter. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine, then add the walnuts and banana slices. Pour over the top of the dough. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tsp cinnamon and 1 to 2 tbsp white sugar over the top, just in case this topping wasn't sweet enough for you, and put in a cold oven. Turn the oven on to 350 and bake about 25 minutes. What you see in this picture is what was left from 2 coffee cakes after 4 men who said they'd already had lunch got through!