Banana Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

WHEN MY HUSBAND COMES HOME WITH A BAG FULL of ripe bananas, I know it is time for baking banana bread. Though he swears he is not hinting but merely in the mood to eat some bananas, I see how many he eats.

I am always happy to make him some of the banana bread he loves but this time, since I seem to be turning into a cake lady, I made a banana cake instead.  It turned out delicious.  Moist and tender with a lovely banana sweetness, topped with the piquant flavor of cream cheese and unsweetened dark cocoa,  it also had an additional toasty crunch from the walnuts.

Enjoy! We loved this cake.

Banana Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:

1 1/2 cups ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsp. lemon juice

3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 1/8 cups sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Frosting:

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Garnish:

Toasted walnuts

Banana slices, optional

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) cake pans.

In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt.

In a mixing bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and the 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp. vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in the banana mixture.

Pour batter in prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.

For the frosting, beat together the cream cheese, 3 tablespoons milk, powdered sugar, 1/4 cup butter, vanilla, cocoa, and cinnamon to a spreadable consistency. Beat in additional milk if necessary. For a darker frosting add more cocoa. Spread onto cooled cake.

Top with toasted walnuts and decorate with additional banana slices, if desired.