New Life for Spotted Bananas

I love August.  I love a good banana, but it must be slightly green and definitely firm.  That is a very small window in the life of a banana, and so we end up with lots of brown-spotted fruit that needs a new mission in life, especially in August when the days are so warm.  Fruit ripens much faster at this time of year.  Banana Bread has always been the way out for these "over-ripe" in my opinion pieces of fruit.  However, my sister-in-law made a banana cake for a party that I have found to be a delicious alternative to the bread.  Here is Lyla's Banana Cake recipe.

Set out cream cheese and butter to soften (see frosting recipe below)

Combine in a bowl and set aside:
2 C flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

Prepare eggs and set aside:
2 eggs, beaten

Cream together in a large bowl:
1 and 1/2 C sugar
1/2 C shortening

Add the following:
1/2 C buttermilk
1 C bananas mashed (I usually use 2-3 bananas, unmeasured)
1 tsp. vanilla

Now add the eggs.  Then the dry ingredients, mixing well.
Pour into a greased 9"x13" pan and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Frosting:
2 - 3oz. packages cream cheese softened
1 T butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 C powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla.  Mix well and spread over a cooled cake.

This recipe is well worth the purchase of buttermilk and the effort to make the cake.  Enjoy!

Freezer idea:  Make the cake, but do not frost it.  Cover tightly and freeze for another day.