Old Fashioned Banana Cake

Old Fashioned Banana Cake

Remember the time I met Ina Garten at her book signing for Foolproof? Well, I do. It was fabulous! As fabulous as waiting in line alone for 3 hours in a huge mall and then being told we can't take any posed photos with our idol could be. Which, like I said, was fabulous! Ina's recipes are always a hit in my house and you will find that I review and post many of them here. This cake did not disappoint. It's a more exciting way to "use up old bananas" than banana bread, and the cream cheese frosting is to die for. Adapted from Ina Garten's recipe.

Ingredients

3 very ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 orange
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
Pecan halves, for decorating (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting:
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (1/2 pound)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 by 2-inch round cake pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the bananas, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on low speed until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the oil, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest. Mix until smooth.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in the chopped pecans, if using. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, turn out onto a cooling rack, and cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
Mix the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed until just combined. Don't whip! Add the sugar and mix until smooth. Yield: frosting for one 9-inch cake.

Spread the frosting thickly on the top of the cake and decorate with pecan halves, if using.