Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Happy New Years’ y’all!  May the new year bring peace, happiness, and health to you all!

One of my goals, as it was last year, is to reduce the amount of food we waste.  Sometimes I’m really good about it, but sometimes I forget about things and by the time I remember it’s too late.

Today’s recipe, a wonderfully moist banana cake with cream cheese frosting, is an amazing way to use up those few dark-brown bananas that have been left to sit on the counter, while their siblings have been happily eaten away 🙂

I found this recipe on my quest to use up a few leftover bananas, and with a name like “The Best Ever Banana Cake,” I was sold.  And after making it, my family was sold too 🙂

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield:  1- 9 x 13 Pan

Ingredients:

For Cake:

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk (or 1 ½ cups milk + 1 ½ tablespoons vinegar)

For Frosting:

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
• Nuts, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Make Cake:

Preheat oven to 275°F and set aside a greased 9” x 13” pan.

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

In a medium bowl, mix all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat oil and sugar until thoroughly combined.  Whisk in eggs, mixing well after each addition.  Add vanilla and mix well.

Stir in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk.  Fold in banana mixture.

Pour batter into greased pan and bake for 70 to 80 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely before adding frosting.

Make Frosting:

In a large bowl, mix butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Add vanilla and powdered sugar.  Beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until the frosting is smooth.  Spread on cooled cake and garnish with nuts.

Refrigerate any leftovers.