BANANA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting image

I always requested banana cake with fudge frosting for my birthday. Mom's recipe is attached to my fridge-and my heart. It's funny how many memories live on in a stained handwritten recipe card. On a more practical note: It's important to make sure the whipped cream cheese is truly at room temperature before you use it. If not, it chills the softened butter and makes for lumpy frosting. -Jeanne Ambrose, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 1h30m

Yield 16 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 large)
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup chopped unsalted pistachios, toasted
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
2 containers (8 ounces each) whipped cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup baking cocoa
4-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Additional chopped unsalted pistachios, toasted, optional

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Fold in 3/4 cup pistachios., Transfer to two greased and floured 8-in. round baking pans. Bake 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add cocoa; mix until blended. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until creamy., Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread top with 1 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake. Spread top and sides with 2 cups frosting. Press pistachios into sides of cake if desired., Cut a small hole in the corner of a large pastry or plastic bag; insert #127 petal pastry tip. Fill the bag with remaining frosting. Pipe concentric circles of frosting over top of cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until frosting is set.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 606 calories, Fat 28g fat (16g saturated fat), Cholesterol 111mg cholesterol, Sodium 510mg sodium, Carbohydrate 85g carbohydrate (62g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 7g protein.