Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I found this recipe for Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting a few years ago over at Krista’s Kitchen, and it’s one of my absolute favorite cakes. (Well, right up there with Chunky Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Blueberry Cobbler Dump Cake . . . let’s just say I like my cake.) 😉  I made it again over the weekend, and if you’re looking for a special dessert to share on Easter Sunday, this would be just a perfect ending to a wonderful meal.

To make it absolutely perfect, be sure to use very ripened bananas. I throw any bananas that don’t get eaten fast enough in our freezer (I always buy a ton at Aldi’s so that I have a few leftover), and then pull them out, skin and all to thaw on the counter when I’m ready to bake. They’re usually a gross mess, but fall right out of their skins! (It completely disgusts my children, I’m pretty sure they have nightmares about those over-ripe bananas.)

If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, just add 1/2 tablespoon vinegar into a small glass and pour in enough milk to equal 1/2 cup. It’s a great way to pinch those pennies and skip an extra run to the store! I’d love to hear if you try this recipe because it’s one of my favorites, and I’m betting your family will love it too.

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (we didn’t have buttermilk so I soured regular milk by mixing 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 tablespoon vinegar, then let sit for five minutes in the refrigerator)
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans + more for garnish optional (we don’t usually add pecans, but I’m sure they would be delicious!)

Instructions

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Next add in eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
3. Sift dry ingredients.
4. Stir together bananas, buttermilk and vanilla.
5. Add dry ingredients to batter alternately with buttermilk mixture, beating until combined.
6. Add pecans to batter.
7. Spray cans with cooking spray or grease and flour pans. Pour batter into pans.
8. Bake at 350 for 25 – 35 minutes (mine were done right at 25), or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
9. Place cakes on cooling rack for ten minutes, then pop out of pans and cool completely. Once cooled, add cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 8 oz. cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted (I usually use closer to 2 1/4 cups)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• finely chopped pecans (for garnish) optional

Instructions

1. Cream butter & cream cheese together.
2. Add powdered sugar.
3. Stir in vanilla.
4. Frost cake with cream cheese frosting, then top with pecans.
5. Refrigerate until ready to serve, refrigerate remaining cake.

And, just in case you’re not sure what to make for Easter Brunch, here’s are a few ideas . . .

Need a little more recipe inspiration? Go HERE.