Banana Cake

I was very proud of myself on this recipe! It was very moist and dense, I loveedd it!

Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting

SERVES 8 TO 10

Banana Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter, softened

1 ½ cups sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup buttermilk (see Note)

1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas

Chocolate Frosting

½ cup (1 stick) butter

1/3 cup cocoa

1/3 cup evaporated milk or half-and-half

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

TO MAKE THE CAKE, heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. 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 more, scraping down the bowl occasionally, until you have a smooth batter.

USING A LARGE SPOON or spatula, stir in half the flour just until it disappears into the batter. Stir in the buttermilk, and then the remaining flour, the same way. Quickly and gently fold in the mashed bananas, and then divide the batter between the 2 cake pans.

BAKE at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cakes are golden brown, spring back when touched lightly in the center, and begin to pull away from the sides of the pans.

COOL FOR 10 MINUTES in the pans on wire racks or folded kitchen towels. Then turn out onto wire racks or plates to cool completely, top side up.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING, in a medium saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa, and evaporated milk. 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 smooth, thick frosting.

TO COMPLETE THE CAKE, place one layer, top side down, on a cake plate or serving plate, and spread about I cup of frosting evenly over the top. Cover with the second layer, placed top side up. Spread the frosting evenly, first over the sides and then covering the top of the cake.

NOTE: If you don't have buttermilk, stir 1½ teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice into ½ cup of milk, and let stand 10 minutes.