"The Best Ever Banana Cake....."

It was my turn to host our weekly rendezvous and I wanted to make a special dessert for my pals who will both be traveling out of the country next week (to a very special place…I am very jealous that I am not going but they promised to bring me back cigars!). Anyway I found a recipe for “The Best Ever Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting” on RecipeZaar.com. Being a skeptic, I naturally had to “test” that self-proclaimed honor by baking the cake and tasting for myself. I solicited some other guinea pigs taste-testers – daughter, sister, mom and uncle – to corroborate with me to validate the title. So, I bought the required ingredients and spent the later part of Sunday morning (it was chilly outside, so I didn’t mind) baking “The Best Ever Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.” There were as many steps as ingredients:
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275° (not a typo...really 275°).
2. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan (I opted to make a layer version because I like frosting).
3. In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
5. In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla.
7. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
8. Stir in banana mixture.
9. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

10. Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist. Note: I was very suspicious of this step but dutifully complied.
11. For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
12. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
13. Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth.
14. Spread on cooled cake (daughter frosted the cake for me and did an outstanding job, don't you think?).
15. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over top of the frosting, if desired (I did not add the nuts)

Phew!

I am happy to report that the self-proclaimed title of “The Best Ever Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting” is indeed well deserved. I used less sugar and more bananas than the recipe called for and the freezer trick really (amazingly) works…this cake is dense, but very moist. I will have to try it for other cakes and report my findings.

For dinner last night we had Chicken Marsala, Barley Risotto with Peas, Caesar Salad, wine, and, of course, for dessert, we had the “The Best Ever Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.” My Tuesday evening companions LOVED the cake and I gave them each a piece to enjoy later at home. I will miss them next Tuesday, but will be anxious to hear about their trip…..maybe we’ll smoke some cigars!

I post the complete cake recipe on the “Recipes” page. Enjoy