Recipe: Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I love bananas and have been ordering them with most grocery deliveries.  Usually, we have some left that turn brown so I'm always looking for ideas to bake with the ones that turn over-ripe.  This is a good one.  

This recipe was adapted from Creme de La Crumb.

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 cups mashed very ripe (brown) bananas about 3-4 medium bananas

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup pecans

cream cheese frosting

1/2 cup butter, softened

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 15x10x1 inch pan.  (I used a smaller pan so it was thicker and I baked it longer.  Adjust time depending on what type of pan you use.)

In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Next add mashed bananas and mix well.

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.  Stir in pecans.

Pour mixture into prepared pan.

Bake for 25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool.

To make the frosting, in a large bowl cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Stir in vanilla and salt. Gradually mix in powdered sugar until completely incorporated and frosting is smooth.

Spread frosting over cooled bars. Cut and serve OR cover and store at room temperature up to three days.