You'll Go Nuts For This Banana Cake

I love banana bread—I practically begged my mom to bake a loaf every weekend as a kid—but sometimes it's nice to change things up. This banana cake takes the classic flavor of banana bread and adds a cakier texture and an irresistible cream cheese frosting to create a gorgeous layered cake worthy of any party. This cake is rich and moist, and with a hint of warm cinnamon and crunchy walnuts, is the perfect feel good cake that isn’t too sweet and, like carrot cake, is the perfect excuse to get your fruit or vegetables in for the day.

Yields: 12 servings

Prep Time: 25 mins

Total Time: 1 hour 25 mins

Ingredients

Cake

• Cooking spray

• 3/4

  (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

• 1/2 c.

  granulated sugar

• 1/2 c.

  packed brown sugar

• 3

  eggs

• 3

  ripe bananas, mashed

• 3/4 c.

  sour cream

• 1 tsp.

  pure vanilla extract

• 3 c.

  all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp.

  cornstarch

• 1 tsp.

  baking soda

• 1/2 tsp.

  ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp.

  kosher salt

Frosting

• 1

  (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened

• 1/2 c.

  (1 stick) butter, softened

• 4 c.

  powdered sugar

• 1 tsp.

  pure vanilla extract

• 1/4 c.

  heavy cream

Garnish

• 1 banana, sliced intro coins for garnish

• 1/2 c.

  walnuts, roughly chopped

Directions

Bake cakes

1. Preheat oven to 350° and line two 8" cake pans with parchment paper and grease with cooking spray. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one, then add vanilla. Add bananas and sour cream and beat until smooth.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat until just combined.

3. Divide evenly between prepared pans and bake until tops are slightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.

4. Let cool 15 minutes, then invert onto cooling rack to cool completely.

Make frosting

1. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat again until smooth then add vanilla and heavy cream and beat until a spreadable consistency.

Assemble

1. Spread about half the frosting onto one layer, top with second layer, then frost top. Garnish with banana and walnuts.

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