Mary's Best-Ever Banana Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Trust me when I tell you this is one of the best banana cakes you will ever eat! One of my good friends shared this fantastic recipe with me many years ago-I hope you love the cake as much I do. (Note: To quickly ripen bananas, place in a brown paper grocery sack and tightly close top of sack. Check bananas periodically and remove from the bag when peels have turned completely black).

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 9-12

Ingredients

• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed down
• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil
• 2  large eggs, beaten
• 3  large bananas, ripened until peels turn completely black, then peeled and mashed with a fork
• 1⁄2 cup 2% low-fat milk
• 2  cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 8  ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese (unwrap cheese, place in a microwave on HIGH for 10 seconds or till softened)
• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened at room temperature
• 1  cup powdered sugar
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease with vegetable shortening, the sides and bottom of a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan; set aside.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, thoroughly combine both types of sugar.
4. Add the oil and mix well.
5. Add the beaten eggs, mashed banana, and milk; mix well.
6. In another medium mixing bowl, thoroughly combine with a wire whisk, the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
7. Add the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time to the banana mixture, mixing after each flour addition just until incorporated.
8. Mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract as the last ingredient to be added to the batter; mix well.
9. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
11. Place cake on a wire rack to cool completely. Frost with cream cheese frosting, if desired.
12. Cream Cheese Frosting Instructions: In a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese and butter together. Add the powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, beating until smooth. Spread frosting on cooled banana cake.