Best Ever Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Whenever I have bananas that are too ripe to eat, I will usually bake banana bread. A few months ago I had some ripe bananas, but decided to try something different. I went to one of my favorite recipe sources, http://www.food.com/, and found a recipe for Best Ever Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Almost 800 people had given it a five star rating so I anticipated it would be really good. I was not disappointed! It was delicious!

I usually make a 9 x 13 inch cake but a couple of weeks ago decided to try a layered cake. My icing skills need some work so I simply covered the cake in graham cracker crumbs. It covered up the sloppy icing and the graham cracker went nicely with the banana and cream cheese flavors. 

Enjoy!

 

Best Ever Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Serves: 16 , 9x13 pan

• 1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed, ripe
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 1/8 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Frosting
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 1/2 cups icing sugar
Garnish
• chopped walnuts

Directions:
Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 1 1/4 hr
1. Preheat oven to 275°.
2. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan.
3. In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
5. In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla.
7. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
8. Stir in banana mixture.
9. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
10. Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.
11. For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
12. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
13. Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth.
14. Spread on cooled cake.
15. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over top of the frosting, if desired.