Double Banana Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

Double Banana Cake with Vanilla Buttercream
Photo: BonAppetit.com

If you love warm banana bread and rich buttercream icing, this banana cake is your dessert dream come true. Just like everything is said to be “better with bacon,” I’d argue that the same rule applies to frosting. Especially when that frosting is a homemade vanilla buttercream. Think sweet (but not sugary) and decadent (but not dense), this icing is a creamy finish to an already dreamy cake.

Speaking of cake, the addition of ripened, mashed bananas make it perfectly moist while giving the cake a beautiful flecked appearance. Just add some sliced fresh banana to the top and you’ll have yourself a stunning dessert centerpiece. Unfortunately, you won’t have much time to admire it because after one bite, you’ll be hooked. Which is good, because the cake is meant to serve 16 of your nearest and dearest friends, family, or simply banana-cake crazed acquaintances.

Double Banana Cake with Buttercream Icing

Recipe courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine

Makes: 16 servings

Cake

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter plus more for pans, room temperature
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups coarsely mashed very ripe bananas (about 6 large)
• 3/4 cup sour cream

Frosting

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 ripe but not mushy bananas, cut crosswise into 1/8-inch slices

Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 325°. Butter two 8-inch diameter cake pans with sides 2 inches high. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper rounds. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 1/2 cups butter and sugar in another large bowl until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions. With mixer on low, gradually beat in flour mixture, scraping sides of bowl. Mix in bananas, then sour cream.

Divide batter between pans. Bake cakes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 50–55 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes in pans on wire racks. Invert cakes onto wire racks; let cool completely. Remove parchment. Using a serrated knife, trim off rounded tops.

Make the Frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat first 5 ingredients in a large bowl until light and fluffy, 6–7 minutes.
 Place 1 cake on a plate. Spread 1 cup frosting over. Arrange banana slices on top. Top with second cake. Spread a thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake; chill for 30 minutes. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cakes.