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My Favorite Banana Cake Recipe

This recipe for My Favorite Banana Cake is a less sweet, less dense, cake-like version of banana bread.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Dessert, Snacks
Servings 2 cakes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar packed
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups very ripe bananas mashed
  • 1 teaspooon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup pecans or walnuts *optional* chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Spray two 9 inch by 5 inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. An alternative method is to grease the pans with a light coating of butter or margarine, then cover with a very fine sprinkling of all-purpose flour.
  • In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
    sifting flour
  • In a large bowl mix together the softened butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
  • Add the eggs and beat on low speed until well blended.
    cake batter on electric mixer
  • Add the bowl of dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix on low.
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then continue to mix until all ingredients are well blended.
  • Use a large mixing spoon to stir the banana, vanilla and walnuts or pecans (if you're using them) into the cake batter.
  • Pour the batter evenly between the two cake pans then place the pans in the pre-heated oven.
  • Bake for 40-50 minutes until cooked through. Test with a toothpick to make sure the batter is cooked through.
  • Remove the pans from the oven, using pot holders or oven mitts, then let cool on wire metal racks.
    2 pans of banana cake cooling on wire baking racks
  • Cut each cake into 8 triangular pieces, for a total of 16 servings.
  • Optional: serve the banana cake with your favorite topping such as sweet butter, cream cheese, cream cheese frosting or even Nutella hazelnut spread.
    slice of banana cake on porcelain plate

Notes

frosted cupcakesRecipe Tip: I use a potato masher to mash my ripe bananas before adding them to the cake batter. You can also use this banana cake batter to make cupcakes if desired.
To make traditional banana bread (that is very dense, very sticky and very sweet) simply double the amount of bananas called for in this recipe, add the batter to 2 loaf pans and bake in the oven for 60 to 70 minutes.
I've had my copy of the Mrs. Fields Cookie Cookbook forever. I'm not sure if it's in print anymore. I did a search on Amazon and saw it listed by a few vendors so, you might still be able to find a copy of Mrs. Fields Cookie Book: 100 Recipes from the Kitchen of Mrs. Fields.
The cookbook is filled with TONS of dessert recipes, not just cookies and banana bread. It's one of my all time favorite dessert recipe books!