Southern Living Marvelous Banana Cake

This cake is special enough for birthdays, since I made it for my son's first! He loved banana bread (still does!!) so it seemed a natural pick. The Banana-nut frosting is unique or try your own favorite. Note: the frosting calls for both 16 ounces powdered sugar PLUS 3 cups flour.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Yields: 3 layer cake

Ingredients

• 1  cup butter, softened
• 3  cups sugar
• 2  cups  mashed bananas
• 4  eggs, beaten
• 3 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1  cup buttermilk
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2  tablespoons Bourbon (I used juice) or 2  tablespoons  orange juice (I used juice)
• 1  cup  chopped pecans (can be omitted)

• Banana Nut Frosting

• 1⁄2 cup  mashed banana
• 1  teaspoon lemon juice
• 1⁄3 cup butter, softened
• 16  ounces powdered sugar, sifted PLUS an additional
• 3  cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 -4  tablespoons milk
• 1  cup coconut, toasted (I omitted)
• 2⁄3 cup  finely chopped pecans (I omitted)

Directions

1. Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating will at medium speed of an electric mixer.
2. Add bananas; mix until smooth.
3. Stir in eggs.
4. Combine flour and baking soda; add to banana mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture (mixing after each addition).
5. Stir in vanilla, bourbon (or juice) and pecans.
6. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9 inch round cake pans.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes; cool in pans 10 minutes and remove cake from pans.
8. Cool completely on wire racks.
9. Spread Banana Nut Frosting between layers and on top of cake.
10. Yield: one 3 layer cake.
11. Banana Nut Frosting:
12. Combine banana and lemon juice; set mixture aside.
13. Cream softened butter at medium speed of an electric mixer; add powdered sugar and milk and mix well.
14. Add banana mixture, beating until fluffy.
15. Stir in toasted coconut and chopped pecans.
16. Yield: 3 1/2 cups.