Anna Banana's Birthday Cake With Chocolate Fudge Icing

Everyone calls my daughter Anna Banana, and she happens to adore bananas! I made this cake in the shape of a heart. I wrote Happy Birthday in bright yellow on the chocolate fudge icing and made little perfect marzipan bananas for decorations.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 1 9inch cake

Ingredients

• CAKE

• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter
• 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 2  eggs
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3  ripe bananas, mashed
• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 cup sour cream (preferably Astro)

• CHOCOLATE FUDGE ICING

• 4  ounces bittersweet chocolate or 4  ounces  semisweet chocolate
• 2  tablespoons  cocoa (preferably Dutch processed)
• 1⁄3 cup milk
• 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1⁄2 cups  sifted icing sugar (more if needed)
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Butter a 9-inch springform pan (or heart-shaped pan.) Cream 1/2 cup butter until light.
3. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar.
4. Add the eggs one at a time and beat after each addition.
5. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla and the mashed bananas.
6. Sift or mix together the dry ingredients and add to the batter alternately with the sour cream.
7. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan evenly and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the cake springs back when gently pressed in the centre.
8. Cool for 10 minutes and invert.
9. Cool on a wire rack.
10. For the icing, melt the chocolate, cocoa, milk and 1/4 cup butter in the top of a double boiler.
11. Cook until smooth and cool slightly.
12. Beat in the icing sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
13. Place the bowl over a larger bowl of ice and water and stir until the icing is spreadable.
14. Ice the cake and decorate as you wish.
15. The CKFM Cookbook.