Banana Cake

Ingredients

2 1/2

cups all-purpose flour*

1 1/2

cups mashed ripe bananas (3 medium)

1 1/4

cups sugar

1/2

cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2

cup buttermilk

1 1/2

teaspoons baking soda

teaspoon salt

teaspoon baking powder

large eggs

2/3

cup chopped nuts

package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/4

cup butter or margarine, softened

to 3 teaspoons milk

teaspoon vanilla

cups powdered sugar

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1

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan or two 8-inch or 9-inch round pans with shortening; lightly flour.
2

In large bowl, beat all ingredients except nuts and frosting with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in nuts. Pour into pan(s).
3

Bake 13x9-inch pan 45 to 50 minutes, round pans 40 to 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool rectangle in pan on wire rack. Cool rounds 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
4

Frost 13x9-inch cake or fill and frost round layers with Cream Cheese Frosting.
5

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth.
6

Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, on low speed until smooth and spreadable. Frosts 13x9-inch cake generously, or fills and frosts an 8- or 9-inch two-layer cake. Store frosted cake or any remaining frosting covered in refrigerator.

*Do not use self-rising flour.
Substitute 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce for the bananas and 1/2 cup water for the buttermilk. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice; decrease baking powder to 3/4 teaspoon. Stir in 1 cup raisins with the nuts. Frost with Maple-Nut Buttercream Frosting (page 116) or Cream Cheese Frosting (page 116).