Banana Cake with Banana Cream Topping

So, I ended up with 9 bananas in my Bountiful Basket.  I like bananas and all, but I can only eat so many in a week.  Plus, if you put too many in your smoothie, all you taste is bananas.  I didn't have room in the freezer so I decided to make a banana cake.

The recipes are based off of some from All Recipes, but I tweaked them a bit to fit what I had on hand.  This is a bit like banana bread, but lighter.  YUM!

Banana Cake with Banana Cream Topping
Cake:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 lg eggs
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup buttermilk*
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup mini chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and beat well.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

2.  Whisk together flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.  Slowly add to the butter mixture and stir just until blended.  While stirring, slowly pour in the buttermilk.*

3.  Mash the bananas with a whisk.  Fold in the mashed bananas and chocolate chips.  The batter should look like this:

4.  Spray a 9x13 pan with oil.  Pour in the batter and use a rubber spatula to even out the top.  Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes, turn the cake around, and bake an additional 30 minutes.  The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

5.  Allow cake to cool completely before topping with banana cream.

*If you do not have buttermilk on hand, place 1 Tbsp white vinegar in the bottom of a 1-cup measure.  Fill to the 1-cup line with milk and let stand for 5 minutes to thicken.  It may curdle a bit, but it will be ok!


Banana Cream**:
1 very ripe banana, mashed
1 (3 oz.) envelope banana cream pudding
3/4 cup cold milk
1 small container Cool Whip
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)

1.  Whip the banana until shiny and smooth.

2.  Add the milk and stir well.  Then add the pudding mix.  Beat on medium low speed for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.

3.  Fold in the container of cool whip.

4.  Use to top the banana cake, and top with toasted pecans.

**I found that the Banana Cream recipe was enough to top two 9x13 cakes.  If you do not want to make two cakes, it is also good on ice cream with chocolate sauce or over angle food cake.

I am happy to say that all bananas are used up and the folks at work will be very happy during their coffee break tomorrow.  :D