Banana Cake with cream cheese frosting

We did it! Our last day of class! Yipee! I can't wait until Friday for it to be official. I've worked very hard to get to this point. Congratulations to all of us! Here is the recipe for the banana cake I brought to the lunch today. I'm glad everyone liked it. It is one of my favorite recipes and another good way to use ripe bananas.

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting – Janette Detro

Cake:
1 1/2 cups ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp lemon juice
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c butter, softened
2 1/4 c sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c buttermilk

Frosting:
1/2 c butter, softened
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 c powdered sugar

Garnish:
chopped walnuts

Cake Directions:
Preheat oven to 275. Grease a cookie sheet. Mash bananas, mix in lemon juice and set aside. In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in 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 55-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.

Frosting Directions:
Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake. Sprinkle chopped walnuts if desired.