BANANA CAKE WITH CARAMEL ICING

Banana Cake with Caramel Icing image

Provided by Traci Coleman

Categories Cakes

Time 45m

Number Of Ingredients 17

CAKE
2 1/2 c flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c butter, softened
1 1/4 c sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c buttermilk (or 1/2 tsp lemon juice with 1/2 cup milk)
1 c very ripe bananas, mashed (approx 2 bananas)
CARAMEL FROSTING
1/2 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1/4 c whole milk
2 c powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c chopped pecans for garnish, optional

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9" round cake pans.
2. In bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda. In mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add sugar; combine well. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Blend in bananas and vanilla. Reduce mixer to low and add in flour mixture by 1/2 cupfulls alternating with buttermilk, ending with dry ingredient added last. Mix until just blended.
3. Divide batter between the two prepared pans. Bake at 350 for about 25 - 30 minutes until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes before inverting onto wire rack to cool completely.
4. To make frosting: Place butter and brown sugar into medium sized heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir and cook until the mixture somes to a boil, about 2 minutes. Add the milk, stir and bring the mixture back to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon until the frosting is smooth. Use frosting while still warm to frost the cake. If frosting cools and hardens, place the pan back over low heat and stir until the frosting softens up.