"Banana Bread" Cake

Some call this Banana Cake, but I think it has more the texture

of banana bread in 'cake shape'-- now, it's my Banana Bread Cake.

I say this frosting is TOO thick, so I've listed 1/2 recipe for the frosting.

INGREDIENTS:

1 and 1/2 cup mashed banana (ripe, but not black)
2 teaspoon lemon juice


3 cups flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt


3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
2 and 1/8 cup white granulated sugar


3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla


1 and 1/2 c. buttermilk


1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)



DIRECTIONS:

• Grease and flour (or spray) 9x13" baking pan (I used glass).  Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 275-degrees (that's 'low', huh!).
• Mash banana, mix in lemon juice and set aside.
• Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.
• Cream together softened butter and sugar.  Add 1 egg at a time, and the vanilla.
• Alternating between the flour mix and the buttermilk, add to the butter/sugar/vanilla mixture and combine until all is incorporated and 'smooth'.
• Fold in chopped nuts, if desired.
• Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake at 275-degrees for about 1 hour and 10 minutes (OR until center tests 'done' when checked with toothpick).   The cake rose to being level with top of the cake dish.
• Immediately, cover cake with foil and put into refrigerator for a while (I left it in overnight).   It will end up being SO moist (but it is also 'dense', too).
• When it is totally cool (cold), frost it with the cream cheese frosting, if desired.
• I like to freeze 6" squares of this cake in snack-sized 'square containers' for another time--  I  LOVE THIS COLD!!!!!!

Cream Cheese Frosting*:

Beat together 4 oz. softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup softened butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 and 3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar.  Spread on cake.   This freezes SO well!    

*IF you don't want to use just 1/2 of an 8 oz. package of cream cheese, double the recipe and freeze half for another time.  That works, too!