Decadent Banana Cake With Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting

Southern Living

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups cake flour, plus
• 5 1⁄2 tablespoons cake flour
• 1  tablespoon baking soda
• 1  pinch salt
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1  cup sugar
• 3⁄4 cup  firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2  large eggs
• 4  large  ripe bananas, mashed (about 2 cups)
• 2⁄3 cup buttermilk

• Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2  tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2  teaspoons milk
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄4 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Directions

1. To make the cake: sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. In a bowl, beat the butter at medium speed using an electric mixer, until creamy.
3. Add in sugar; beat until light and fluffy.
4. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
5. Beat in bananas at low speed.
6. Increase speed to medium, and gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
7. Pour batter into 2 greased/floured 9-inch round cake pans.
8. Bake in a 350° oven for 30 minutes or until a pick comes out clean.
9. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
10. To make the frosting: in a bowl, beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed using an electric mixer, until creamy.
11. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended.
12. Beat at high speed until smooth.
13. Stir in milk and vanilla; stir in coconut.
14. Spread Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.