Banana Foster - "Zesty Spice Cake" Trifle!

I created the "Banana Foster - Zesty Spice Cake Trifle" quite by accident. I peeled a very unripe banana but did not want to toss it out so I fried it in butter with brown sugar, honey, a mix of orange and lemon zest and pumpkin pie spices. I then layered the banana with the remaining "Zesty Spice Cake" to make a "Trifle" layered with yogurt sweetened with honey, and other fruits --strawberries, nectarines and peaches! You can add blueberries and blackberries too! Yummy!

The "Banana Foster - Zesty Spice Cake Trifle" is light, refreshing, easy to make and  does not take much time to complete! It certainly beats same old, same old! The recipe is simple because you don't have to use or prepare a custard and add gelatin and wait for hours on end for it to set. Yogurt has the consistency of custard and works just as well and without the calories.

Let me know what you think. Here we go!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 or 5 slices of the "Zesty Spice Cake"  (Click link to see recipe)
• 1 cup yogurt (2 cups for 3 or more servings)
• 1 cup zesty spiced apple compote (Click link to see recipe
• 2 firm bananas - peeled and sliced
• Other fruits: strawberries, peaches, nectarines (all sliced); and seasonal berries - blueberries, strawberries, blackberries
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons honey, maple syrup or Agave nectar
• Pinch of salt
  
• 2 tablespoons orange lemon or lime juice
• Orange, Lime or Lemon zest for garnish
• Optional, Brandy, Liquer, Orange Juice or Apple Cider for deglazing

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the yogurt, honey and citrus juice in a bowl. Cover and place in the refrigerator.

2. Place a frying pan on medium heat and add butter.

3. Add the sliced bananas, citrus zest, honey , a teaspoon of lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pumpkin pie spice mix.

4. Cook sliced bananas for one minute on each side, turn off the heat. remove the pan from the stove and let the bananas cool down. [You can add brandy or liquer before removing the bananas from the stove and flame up the bananas to burn off the alcohol and create the true "Banana Foster" effect and some much needed drama! You can also use orange juice or apple cider to deglaze the good stuff from the pan.]

5. Layer a glass trifle bowl with a row of half of the sliced bananas. [You can also use the cover of your cake stand. Just turn the top upside down and set it on the bottom. If you have never used your cake stand since you got it -- you now have a good use for it. You can also use it as a punch bowl! Now you know!]

6. Add a layer of the zesty spiced apple compote to the layer of sliced fried bananas.

7. Crumble one or two slices of the "Zesty Spice Cake" on top of the bananas and apple compote.

8. Add a layer of seasonal fresh fruit on top of the cake layer. Just use  whatever fruits you have -- let your imagination run wild!

9. Add half of the yogurt mix on top of the fruit mix. Repeat the banana, apple compote, cake, fruit and yogurt layers. 

10. Decorate the top of the trifle with a layer of fresh fruits and garnish with swirls of citrus zest and a sprig of mint leaves.

11. You can make individual trifles in dessert bowls instead of making all the trifle in one big bowl. It is just prettier when you use a big bowl and then serve into the smaller dessert bowls. Just do whatever works best for you!

So voila! There you have it! A light refreshing dessert and not too late to try before summer is over and all the summer fruits are gone! 

Calories:  Unknown. You can reduce the total calories by using a low fat yogurt. You can also use Agave nectar instead of the honey and brown sugar.

Prep and Total Cooking Time: Less than 30 minutes.