Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Sometimes you see a recipe and think, yeah, I bet that is good.  This is one of those.  I saw this "Crazy Banana Cake" on this blog.  

I took this one to a family party last night and it was a hit even with those who normally don't like dessert, and even some "cake-haters".  This one is so moist and delicious, that it is mostly instant love.  I'm looking forward to taking this one to work very soon.
 
There are a couple of things that make this one "crazy", which are baking at a low heat and putting into the freezer right after taking out of the oven.  What both these things do is help the cake be very moist.  The cake never evens freezes in those 45 minutes, it just stops the cooking (which of course continues when you remove something from the oven) more quickly than letting sit on your counter to cool.

 You will notice in the ingredients that there are not any brown bananas showing.   I bought my bananas a couple of weeks ago, but when they were delightly ripe for baking, I didn't have time to bake.  So I threw them in a Ziploc and smashed them flat.  Making them flat makes it super quick for thawing, plus they are easier to store in the freezer.

 Makes a 9x13 cake
Ingredients

1.5 cups very ripe bananas (3 fresh bananas or 4 thawed, previously frozen bananas)

2 tsp lemon juice

3 cups all-purpose flour

1.5 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup soft butter

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1.5 cups buttermilk (OR milk soured with one tbsp vinegar or lemon juice)

Pre-heat oven to 300º F, and grease and flour (or spray), a 9×13 cake pan (use Pyrex glass or  a metal pan that can withstand the oven to freezer instructions.

Mash banana and mix with lemon juice and set aside.

In a med bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

If you’re making your own buttermilk, combine milk and vinegar (or lemon juice) in a small bowl, and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar.

Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Stir in vanilla.

Beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk.

Stir in bananas.

Pour into greased/floured (or sprayed) cake pan and bake at 300º F for 1 hour, check to see that a toothpick comes out clean.

Immediately place in freezer for 45 minutes.  No need to cover the cake, but you’ll want to place it on a thick, folded towel to protect items underneath.(if not completely cool upon removal from freezer, let cool further before icing).  Here's mine in the freezer.

 

Cream Cheese Icing:

1/2 cup butter, room temp

8 oz cream cheese, room temp.

1 tsp vanilla

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter and cream cheese. Beat in vanilla and icing sugar on low until combined, then high until smooth. Ice the cake generously.  Enjoy!  

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