Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting

I am so excited to tell you about this month's Cake Slice Baker's cake.  Ever since my copy of the Southern Cakes cookbook arrived in the mail, the one cake we've all wanted is the Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting.  But for some reason or another (holidays, my oven not working, illness) I haven't gotten around to baking it.  When I announced to my Hubby and kiddies that April's cake was the Banana Cake, they jumped up and down with excitement.  There is something about Banana and Chocolate that drives us all bananas!

We were not disappointed.

The Banana Cake is super moist and absolutely delicious.  It would make a great snack cake, without any frosting.  I baked it in a 9x13-inch baking pan instead of in two 9-inch round pans.  

And the frosting?  You can never go wrong with chocolate!  I didn't have enough powdered sugar, so I halved the recipe and still had enough to frost the top of the cake.  While writing this post I realized I made a HUGE mistake.  The frosting is supposed to be cooked, but I prepared as if it were a Buttercream frosting.  Oops! 

This cake is definitely a keeper.  Be sure to see what the other Cake Slice Baker's thought of this cake.

Banana Cake (from the Southern Cakes cookbook by Nancie McDermott)

Ingredients:

Banana Cake:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, softened
• 1½ cups sugar
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup buttermilk*
• 1½ cups mashed ripe banana

Chocolate Frosting:

• ½ cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup evaporated milk or half-an-half
• 4 cups sifted confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

* If you don't have any buttermilk, stir in 1-1/2 teaspoons of white vinegar into 1/2 cup of milk.  Set aside for 10 minutes.

While you're waiting for the milk to sour, place the bananas in a medium bowl and mash with a fork or a potato masher.  Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans.  (Or a 9x13-inch baking pan.)   Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and stir with a fork to combine well.

In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat well, about 2 minutes.

Add the eggs, one by one, and then the vanilla. Beat well for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally until you have a smooth batter.

Using a large spoon or wire shisk, stir in half the flour just until it disappears into the batter.

Stir in the buttermilk.

And the remaining flour in the same way.

Quickly and gently fold in the mashed banana.

.

Pour the cake batter into the cake pan(s).

Bake at 350F for 25 to 30 minutes until the cake(s) are golden brown, spring back when touched lightly in the center.

To make the frosting, combine the butter, cocoa and evaporated milk in a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Cook, stirring often for about 5 minutes, until the cocoa dissolves into a dark shiny essence. Remove from the heat and stir in the confectioners sugar and vanilla. Beat with a mixer at low speed until you have a thick smooth frosting.  (I still can't believe that I didn't catch this part!)

Spread frosting over cake.

Enjoy!!!

With Love,

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