Banana Cake with Buttercream Frosting
Banana Cake Ingredients:
1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups buttermilk
Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2–3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Instructions:
Make the Banana Cake:
Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or a 9×13-inch pan.
Bananas: In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice. Set aside.
Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
Creaming: In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (3–5 minutes).
Add Eggs: Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
Mix: Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in banana mixture.
Bake: Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Bake for 25–30 minutes for rounds or 35–40 minutes for a 9×13 pan, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool: Let cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Buttercream Frosting:
Whip Butter: Beat the butter with a mixer on medium speed until creamy (about 3 minutes).
Add Sugar: Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing on low.
Flavor & Texture: Add vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons of cream. Beat on high until fluffy, adding more cream if needed for spreadable consistency.
Assemble the Cake:
For layer cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread frosting over the top, then add the second layer and frost the entire cake.
For sheet cake: Simply spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
