Banana Pecan Cake

Cookbook Category: Cakes

This cake delivers delicious banana flavor in both the cake and the frosting. This recipe is from Patricia Mitchell's larger article about banana desserts.

2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (the riper the better)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cups chopped pecans

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/3 cup mashed ripe bananas
3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch pan.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well and set aside.

At medium speed of an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter (1 cup) and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the 1-1/2 cups mashed banana and vanilla, mixing well.

At low speed, add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat only until ingredients are blended; do not overbeat. Stir in the chopped pecans.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.

For the frosting, beat all ingredients together until smooth. Spread evenly on cooled cake.

Makes 1 cake.

Prep time: 20 minutes; Cooking time: 45 minutes; Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes