Fresh Banana Cake Food

OLD-FASHIONED BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 by 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.
• 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.

THE BEST BANANA CAKE I'VE EVER HAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9×13 inch pan.
• Mash the bananas. I usually just use my mixer for this! Set mashed bananas aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy - about 1 minute. Add both sugars and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed together. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the eggs and the vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, then beat in the mashed bananas. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Do not overmix. The batter will be slightly thick and a few lumps is OK.
• Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top of the cake is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
• Remove the cake from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. After about 45 minutes, I usually place it in the refrigerator to speed things up.
• In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add 3 cups confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add the extra 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar (I add it). Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. This helps sets the frosting and makes cutting easier.
• Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

FRESH BANANA LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Make cake layers:
• Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour three 8-inch round cake pans, knocking out excess flour.
• Into a bowl sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl whisk together mashed banana, yogurt or buttermilk, and vanilla. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy and beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in flour and banana mixtures alternately, beginning and ending with flour mixture and stirring after each addition until just combined. (Do not overmix.)
• Divide batter evenly among pans, smoothing tops, and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, about 18 minutes total, or until layers are springy to the touch and a tester comes out clean. Cool layers in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks to cool completely. (Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.)
• Make frosting:
• Into a large bowl sift confectioners' sugar. In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy and beat in vanilla and a pinch salt. Beat in confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, and beat frosting until smooth.
• Assemble cake:
• Cut 2 firm-ripe bananas diagonally into thin slices. Put a cake layer on a serving plate and spread with a thin coating of frosting. Arrange one layer of banana slices on frosting, overlapping them slightly, and top with second cake layer. Spread cake layer with another thin coating of frosting and arrange 1 more layer of banana slices in same manner, cutting and using slices from third banana if necessary. Top bananas with remaining cake layer and spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. (Cake may be made 8 hours ahead and kept in a cake keeper at cool room temperature.)

FRESH BANANA LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Butter and flour three 8" round cake pans, knocking out excess flour.
• Into a bowl sift together first four ingredients.
• In a small bowl, whisk together mashed banana, yoghurt or buttermilk, and vanilla.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Stir dry ingredients and banana mixtures alternately into the creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and stirring after each addition until just combined. (Do not overmix)
• Divide batter evenly among pans, smoothing tops, and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, about 18-20 minutes total, or until layers are springy to the touch and a tester comes out clean.
• Cool layers in pans on racks 10 minutes.
• Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks to cool completely.
• (Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.) Frosting: Into a large bowl, sift confectioners' sugar.
• In another large bowl and using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
• Beat in vanilla and a pinch salt.
• Beat in confectioners' sugar, a little at a time, and beat frosting until smooth.
• Cut 2-3 firm-ripe bananas diagonally into thin slices.
• Put a cake layer on a serving plate and spread with a thin coating of frosting.
• Arrange one layer of banana slices on frosting, overlapping them slightly, and top with second cake layer.
• Spread cake layer with another thin coating of frosting and arrange 1 more layer of banana slices in same manner, cutting and using slices from third banana if necessary.
• Top bananas with remaining cake layer and spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.
• (Cake may be made 8 hours ahead and kept in a cake keeper at cool room temperature.).

BEST EVER BANANA CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275°F (135C).
• Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan.
• In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla.
• Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
• Stir in banana mixture.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.
• For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
• Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth.
• Spread on cooled cake.
• Sprinkle chopped walnuts over top of the frosting, if desired.

BANANA CAKE VI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place directly into freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.
• For the frosting: In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake.