Banana Cake With Vanilla Bean Frosting

It has been a big cake-fest at our house in the last couple of days.  I have had cake for breakfast for about 4 days straight now, and the scale is tipping slowly towards my anti-goal weight. 

My husband was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel the other day.  I wish everyone could experience a promotion ceremony in our United States military.  It is when one reaffirms their commitment and sacrifice to defending the freedoms we all take for granted every day.

And there is cake too.

Later that day, my smarty pants oldest daughter Abbey was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society.  We are so proud of her hard work and drive to do her best in everything she does.  (I think she gets it from her dad.)

So, we had more cake.

The cakes were good.  Chocolate, vanilla, frosting, GOOD.  But they were not even close to as good as the cake I made over the weekend.

I found this cake on Butter Yum.  I didn’t change a darn thing in the recipe except I doubled the frosting.  Yep, you heard me.  I DOUBLED it.  You should double it too.

Banana Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting

Cake Ingredients:

·        2/3 cup sugar

·        ½ cup sour cream

·        1 egg

·        2 tablespoons butter, softened

·        2 mashed ripe bananas  (about ¾ cup)

·        1 tsp pure vanilla extract

·        1 cup flour

·        ¼ tsp salt

·        ½ tsp baking soda

Frosting Ingredients:

·        2 tablespoons butter, softened

·        ¼ cup heavy cream

·        ½ tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

·        1 ¼ cups confectioner’s sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  (350 F for a glass pan.)  Mash your bananas.  (I did this in my mixer but the recipe is easily mixed together by hand.)  Cream bananas together with the sugar, sour cream, egg, 2 tablespoons softened butter, and vanilla.  Add flour, salt, and baking soda, and mix well.   Pour into a greased 8 x 8 pan.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, cream butter and confectioner’s sugar together until smooth.  Slowly add the heavy cream and stir until smooth.  Stir in vanilla.  Spread on cooled cake.

The original recipe actually calls this To Die For Banana Cake…..so watch out.  My husband and I had to have words over the last piece.  Even though he out-ranks me in the military, we all know who the General of this family is.  So guess who got the last piece?