Banana Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

It never fails, no matter how hard I try.  Every time I go to the grocery store I buy bananas, and every time I do, I always think to myself, “I will eat one banana a day.”  But at the end of each week, the bananas still sit, slowly ripening and turning brown.  And I continue to say to myself, “Well, since I’m not going to eat them now, I will make something with them.”  And usually, they just end up in the freezer.  Hmmm…I recall a post I did about all the bananas in my freezer not too long ago.

However, this time I actually did what I think I’m always going to do.  (Yes, I’ll admit it. I feel a little proud of myself.)  Today, with my 3 very-brown bananas, I made a cake.  And it was a delicious cake.  Moist and tender with just the right amount of banana-goodness.  I wanted to eat it for breakfast.  It has fruit in it right?

This cake tastes best when you have very ripe bananas.  When the peel is all brown and the banana is so soft, you’re afraid if you pick it up, you’ll squish it–that kind of very ripe banana.  You can always freeze them when they get to this point and then when you want to use any, just set them out to thaw.  And there’s a generous amount of frosting to fill the middle and the outer part of the cake.  I hate when a recipe says it does both and you get to the outside and think, “Dang it!  I don’t have enough frosting to cover the whole cake!”  You’ll have plenty with this recipe.  Now, if only I can save some cake for my friend coming over today and for Eric when he gets home.  I don’t think telling them my 13-month old ate it is going to work.  Enjoy! xoxo

Banana Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

printable recipe

Cake:

2 cups flour

1 t baking powder

¾ t baking soda

¼ t salt

¼ t cinnamon

dash nutmeg

1 1/3 c sugar

1/3 c vegetable oil

1 ½ t vanilla extract

2 large egg whites

1 large egg

3 mashed ripe bananas

½ c buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using the cooking spray, coat 2 8- or 9-inch pans, lining the bottom with wax paper.  You will have to trace the pan on wax paper and then cut out.  Press into the bottom of the pan and spray again.

In a separate bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients.  Use a whisk to combine.  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar through the eggs.  Mix on medium speed for 1 minute.  Add the mashed bananas and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Alternate the flour mixture with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mixture.

Pour into the prepared pans and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until tops are brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool on wire racks for about 10 minutes before inverting and cooling completely.  (Once they’re out of the pan, you can gently remove the wax paper.)

Frosting:

10 oz. cream cheese (NOT non-fat), room temperature

3 t real vanilla extract

6 cups powdered sugar

2 t cinnamon

In a mixer at medium speed, beat the cream cheese and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Slowly add the powdered sugar and cinnamon, 1 cup at a time.  Beat at low speed until smooth.

To assemble:

Place about 1 cup of the frosting in-between the two layers of cake and then top the rest with the remaining frosting.  Serve immediately.  (Store any leftovers in the fridge.  Make sure to cover it with a cake dome or plastic wrap.)