Shadia & Raquel's Banana Cake

I made this cake a couple of weeks ago. It turned out really well and I am not usually a fan of baking. I made 2 9" rounds for a layered cake. That did not change the cooking time. This was the first time I saw a recipe that called for cooking the cakes at such a low temp and cooling the cakes in the freezer. The cakes came out cooled and firm enough for icing.

Definitely worth giving it a try, especially when you have a couple of brown bananas lying around that no one will touch. Enjoy! - Shadia

This is a picture of Shadia's Banana Cake with Cream Cheese frosting. I followed the directions exactly. It took a really long time to cook though, I think because I used a bunt pan. I ended up turning the oven up a bit and leaving it in an extra half hour. But all in all it tasted great, and very moist.

SHADIA'S & RAQUEL'S BANANA CAKE 

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 

• Preheat oven to 275° and grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan. 
• In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside. 
• In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. 
• In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 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 banana mixture. 
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one 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, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. 
• Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. 
• Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth. 
• Spread on cooled cake. 
• Sprinkle chopped walnuts over top of the frosting, if desired.