RECIPE - Aunt Angelita's Banana Torte (Torta de Banana de Tia Angelita)

In Flavors of Brazil's recent posts about the small Brazilian beach resort of Jericoacoara, we mentioned that the city started out as a hippie colony on one of the remote beaches of northern Ceará state and that there's still a definitely hippie influence in the town today, even with the arrival of luxury accommodations and upmarket restaurants.

Where there are hippies, anywhere in the world, there are "herbal" treats to be found. Jericoacoara is no exception to this rule. And where these herbs are to be found, so are those who have partaken and are suffering from the infamous "munchies." Again, Jeri is no exception.

Way back when in Jericoacoara's early days, an enterprising local woman, whom everybody knows as Aunt Angelita, starting baking cakes and other treats at home and selling them out her front door or on the streets and beaches of Jeri. Everyone went crazy for her food, particularly for her banana torte (torta de banana) which became famous in the village. Today, she still sells her famous treat, but today she has a small cafe/restaurant in one of the local shopping plazas. And people still line up to get some of her heavenly banana torte - sometimes it's the only thing that will cure the munchies.

Her torte is "easy as pie" to make. Here's a recipe from the website Sabores do Nordeste:

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RECIPE - Aunt Angelita's Banana Torte (Torta de Banana de Tia Angelita)

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
2 whole eggs
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 Tbsp baking powder
6-7 bananas, sliced the long way into thin slices
powdered cinnamon to taste
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Preheat oven to 350F (180C).

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, eggs, butter and baking powder and using a hand mixer or wooden spoon beat until you have a smooth batter. It will be ready when it begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Reserve, and let stand for 10 minutes before proceeding.

Pour the batter into an ungreased, non-stick 8x10 cake pan.

Carefully cover the surface of the batter with sliced bananas, cutting them when necessary. Sprinkly cinnamon powder over the bananas.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 minutes. The torte is done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the batter comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan, on a cake rack, until completely cool. Cut into squares and serve.