Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I am a big fan of banana cake. Whether it comes in a loaf form or round cake form, I'm happy to sample some. The ones I like the most are the super moist ones. The ones that still spring to the touch. I have tried some of the banana loafs in Australia but I find that their banana 'bread' is really like Italian bread. It is dense and often dry.

To satisfy my craving for a good banana cake I decided to make my own as it is hard to find any here. The most common cakes at cafe's or bakeries are cheese cakes or cream cakes. I went through a few recipes and have hit the jackpot with one and my friends have been asking for the recipe, so here it is.

SERVES 16 Using a 9" Cake tin

You will need:

2 cups of bananas (use bananas that are really ripe ie. when the skin is all black and just sort of falling apart... they're perfect)
2 tsp Lemon juice
3 cups Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
3/4 cup Butter (room temp)
2 1/8 cups Sugar
3 large Eggs
2 tsp Vailla Extract
1 1/2 cups Buttermilk

Frosting

I use this fantabulous Cream Cheese Frosting that I have posted about when I made Red Velvet Cupcakes. Check out the recipe here.

The Method

1. Preheat the oven to 135C or 275F. The temperature is low for baking a cake but don't touch that dial. It works, trust me.
2. Grease and flour a 9" cake tin.
3. Mash the bananas with a form and mix in the lemon juice. Let this sit for awhile.
4. Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
5. In your large mixing bowl, cream the butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. The mixture should turn very pale, the fluffier the butter and sugar mixture the lighter and higher the cake will rise.
6. Beat in the eggs one at a time on the low setting of your blender so you don't curdle the mixture. This will help emulsify the mixture and hold moisture which will also act as leavening for your cake. Scrape down the sides of the bowl at the end and add the vanilla extract. Stir until combined.
7. Beat in the flour mixture alternatively with the buttermilk. I do this in 3 portions each. Don't try to rush this. You want to make sure the mixture is well combined. If you live in Seoul like I do and can't find Buttermilk. It's easy to make your own. For each cup of buttermilk that is needed, add 1 tbsp of lemon to a cup of milk and let it sit for 10 mins. It may curdle a little at the top so just stir the milk before you add it to your cooking.
8. Finally add in the banana's and quickly use a wooden spoon to just stir it in. Don't overmix.
9. Pour the mixture into your prepared pan and pop it into the preheated oven for 1 hour and 10 mins. I would check your cake att the 55mins mark as ovens differ. Best would be to get a oven termometer to measure the temp properly. To check insert a toothpick or a wooden skewer into the centre. If it comes out clean then your cake is done.
11. Remove it from the oven and put it in the freezer immediately for 45mins. Don't worry, your cake won't freeze but it will cool down very quickly which I think maybe how it stays very moist.

Check out the above link for a yummy cream cheese frosting recipe. As a final touch, you can add walnuts on the top of the frosting.