Wednesday, September 4, 2013

The most delicious BANANA CAKE you'll ever taste

I think this must be one of my top 5 desserts ever.  One of my visiting teachers brought us some of this cake in cupcake form after I had Blake and this cake plus brand new baby was pretty much pure bliss :).  
The name Banana cake just doesn't do this cake justice......it's NOTHING like banana bread......I mean, I like banana bread, but this is a heavenly transcendent cake that just gets better after it sits for a day in your fridge. the flavors meld and become even more delicious if that's possible.  
Warning: this recipe makes a TON so you might want to invite people over for dinner so they can help you eat it *Me* preferably ;). Also, I used about every bowl and measuring cup in my kitchen making this. 

Banana Cake
Ingredients
    • 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) packages Cream Cheese, softened
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 3 1/2 cups icing sugar
Garnish
    • chopped walnuts
Directions
  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.