The Best Banana Cake I’ve Ever Made

• Homemade Magic: Ditch the boxed mixes and artificial flavors! This recipe celebrates the beauty of baking from scratch, using fresh ingredients for unparalleled taste and texture.
• Moist and Delicious: The secret to this cake's magic lies in its incredible moistness. Every bite is a delightful symphony of banana flavor and fluffy texture.
• Cream Cheese Dream Frosting: The creamy and decadent cream cheese frosting takes this cake to the next level. It's the perfect finishing touch to this homemade masterpiece.

Ingredients:

• The Flavorful Base:
• 1 ½ cups ripe bananas, mashed (use bananas with plenty of brown spots for the most flavor)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice (helps prevent browning and adds a touch of brightness)
• The Dry Ingredients:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• The Buttery Bliss:
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• The Sweetener Duo:
• 2 ⅛ cups granulated sugar (for a perfectly balanced sweetness)
• The Binding Force:
• 3 large eggs
• The Flavor Boosters:
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• The Creamy Addition:
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk ( buttermilk adds a slight tang and helps create a moist crumb)
• The Dreamy Frosting:
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 ½ cups powdered icing sugar
• The Optional Finishing Touch:
• Chopped walnuts (or sprinkles for a festive touch!)

1. Prepare to Bake: Preheat your oven to a gentle 275°F (135°C). This lower baking temperature helps ensure a moist and even bake. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan to ensure easy cake removal later.
2. Banana Magic: In a small bowl, mash your ripe bananas. Toss them with the lemon juice to prevent browning and to add a touch of brightness to the flavor profile. Set this mixture aside.
3. Dry Ingredients Unite: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Having these dry ingredients pre-measured saves time and ensures even distribution throughout the batter.
4. Creaming for Perfection: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This creaming process incorporates air into the batter, resulting in a lighter and more tender cake.
5. Egg by Egg: Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
6. Flavor Builders: Stir in the vanilla extract, adding another layer of flavor to your cake batter.
7. Alternating and Combining: Begin alternating between adding the dry ingredients (flour mixture) and the wet ingredients (buttermilk) to the creamed butter mixture in three batches. Mix until just combined – be careful not to overmix!
8. Banana Bonanza: Finally, fold in the mashed banana mixture with the lemon juice using a rubber spatula. Ensure all the banana goodness is evenly distributed throughout the batter.
9. Baking to Perfection: Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan and bake it in the preheated oven for one hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10. The Freezer Trick (Optional): For an extra burst of moistness, some bakers swear by this trick. Once the cake is done baking, remove it from the oven and place it directly in the freezer for 45 minutes. This helps lock in moisture and creates an incredibly moist and tender crumb.
11. Frosting Fantasy: While the cake cools, whip up your dream frosting. Cream together the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract and then gradually add the powdered icing sugar. Start on low speed to avoid a powdered sugar explosion, then increase to high speed and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.