Banana Nut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

As cliche as it might sound, my husband is my biggest fan-especially of my cooking, and especially of this cake. Upon his request, I have made this banana cake for him every year for the past 3 years-after all, they say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach! This year was Matt's 30th birthday and when I asked him if he wanted anything special for his birthday dinner, the first thing he said was "banana cake"-no big surprise there!

I don't think I will ever get tired of making it and he will never get tired of eating it. We decided that I should probably make this cake more than once a year...it is delicious and one of my favorites too!

Banana Cake

Cake:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup vegetable oil

4 large ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), at room temperature

1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Cake:Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Ass the eggs and oil and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened-do not beat. Stir in the banana, pecans, and vanilla.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 23 to 28 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool the cake layers in the pans for about 10 minutes, and then turn them out onto a rack to cool completely before frosting.

While the cake is cooling, make the frosting.

Frosting:In a bowl, blend together the cream cheese and butter. Gradually add in the confectioners' sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. 

Fill and frost the cake when it is completely cool. Sprinkle pecans over the frosted cake.

Source: Paula Deen