I normally don’t post recipes on my blog, but someone on Instagram asked me to post the recipe I used for my banana cake. The recipe, is from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. I used less sugar for the cake, because I don’t like my cake very sweet,especially since there is frosting. A cream cheese frosting ( my fave) that calls for 1/2 pound of confectioners sugar. That’s a lot of sweetness. I also added semi-sweet Guittard chocolate chips, which is not in the original recipe, but works well with this batter.

 The cake is fairly easy to make, as is the frosting.  I think next time, I will make cupcakes with this recipe instead of a round cake. We tend to not eat much cake at our house, so this size was a little overwhelming for us. Cupcake size is perfect, especially if I only want to make half a dozen at a time and then save the rest of the batter for another day. 

Old-Fashioned Banana Cake 

3 very ripe bananas, mashed
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
½ cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 orange
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
Walnut halves, for decorating (optional)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2½ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (½ pound)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 × 2-inch round cake pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the bananas, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on low speed until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the oil, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest. Mix until smooth.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in the chopped walnuts, if using. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, turn out onto a cooling rack, and cool completely.

Spread the frosting thickly on the top of the cake and decorate with walnut halves, if using.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting
Mix the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed until just combined. Don’t whip! Add the sugar and mix until smooth.

Contax 645 | Kodak Portra 400