Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I'm a banana fanatic - love, love, love all things banana: banana bread, Bananas Foster, banana pudding, banana fritters, banana cream pie - you name it and I'm a fan. Banana cake tops the list of my fav banana centric recipes because of the light & fluffy texture of the cake, its amazing fragrance and taste, and the ease of execution. So easy to make and so good with tea or coffee. The frosting is optional since the cake is excellent as is.

CAKE INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

4 large extra ripe bananas

2 tbsp. lemon juice

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

 

FROSTING (Optional):

8-oz cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup powdered (confectioner's) sugar, sifted

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract 

1 tsp. lemon zest (optional)

GARNISH: 

Banana slices

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Place bananas and 2 tbsp. lemon juice into a bowl and mash until smooth with a potato masher and/or fork; set aside.

3. Place flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and stir to combine; set aside.

4. Place 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1 stick of room temperature butter in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 5 minutes until light & creamy. 

5. Add vanilla, and one egg at a time to the sugar-butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Add the mashed bananas and blend with mixer on medium until combined.

6. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt mixture over the batter; mix on low speed until just combined, about 10-15 seconds. Do not over mix the flour or the gluten will be over developed causing the cake to become dense in texture rather than light and fluffy. 

7. Lightly grease a 9"x13" cake pan with unsalted butter. Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

8. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly on top and garnish with banana slices, if desired. 

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

1. Combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream, vanilla, lemon zest and sifted confectioner's sugar into a bowl. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until well combined. 

Mash bananas and 2 tbsp. lemon juice together with potato masher

Cream butter and sugar with mixer on medium high speed for 5 minutes.

Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time.

Add banana mixture and sour cream.

Mix on medium speed until well combined.

Sift flour mixture over the batter.

Blend flour mixture briefly (10-15 seconds on low speed) until just combined; pour batter into lightly greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350F 35-40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove pan from the oven and let cool to room temperature before frosting.