chocolate banana layer cake

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 2 1/4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup butter at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, or as needed
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons milk, or as needed
• 2 ripe bananas, thinly sliced (optional)

Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins Ready Time: 1 hr 55 mins


• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c). grease 2 9-inch layer cake pans, and line with parchment paper. whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and 6 tablespoons of cocoa powder in a bowl until thoroughly combined.
• in a large mixing bowl, mash the butter with the white sugar until blended, then mix in the eggs, one at a time, mixing the egg in before adding the next one. stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, then mix in mashed bananas and buttermilk, alternating with the flour mixture in three additions. add in just enough buttermilk to make a workable batter (bananas may vary in moisture content). pour the batter into the prepared cake pans.
• bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before turning out racks to finish cooling.
• in a bowl, mash the cream cheese and 3 tablespoons of butter until thoroughly combined; mix in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa powder, and beat in milk, a little at a time, until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
• place a cake layer a cake plate, and frost the layer with about 1/3 of the frosting; top the layer with a layer of sliced bananas. place the second layer the cake, and frost top and sides with remaining 2/3 of the frosting. top cake with decorative slices of banana, if desired.