BANANA CAKE WITH CREAMY CHEESE

INGREDIENTS

•   1 cups bananas, mashed
•    teaspoons lemon juice
•  2  cups flour
•  1 teaspoons baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup butter, softened
• 3 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1⁄2 cups buttermilk
•  FROSTING
• 1⁄3 cup butter, softened
• 1 (9 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
•  1 cups icing sugar

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 275°F 140C
• Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan.
• In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla.
• Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
• Stir in banana mixture.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake very moist.
• For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
• Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth.
• Spread on cooled cake.
• Sprinkle chopped walnuts over top of the frosting, if desired.