Remember when I said the days are going by too fast and wow, it's already April? That goes double when I see expiration dates on my perishable ingredients, including buttermilk that I always seem to race to use before it expires. I mark how fast the time flies by how quickly those expirations come and go. I had pinned this recipe (click on the recipe title to go to the original recipe itself) shortly after getting on Pinterest as I knew "someday" I would be in the position of having to use up buttermilk and I'd need some recipes to test out on a dime.
I love banana cake and am still on a quest to make one that's similar in texture to my favorite banana cake from Icing On the Cake Bakery in Los Gatos, CA. Theirs is so fluffy. Seriously, I want to get a job there just to learn how to make their banana cake. (Obsess much, yes, I do).
I changed two things from this recipe though. The original recipe called for shortening. I don't know why but I'm always reluctant to use shortening in cakes. I prefer butter for more flavor. The weird thing is I have no hang up about using oil in cakes. But if I can substitute butter for shortening, I do. And I did. I also went with a standard cream cheese frosting because that's my preferred frosting with banana cake. I thought this cake was pretty good. It was moist and the texture was similar to a pound cake although not quite as dense. Still not the fluffy texture of Icing on the Cake though so my quest continues. Although maybe I would've gotten fluffier results if I had used shortening? I may have to try it again and stay more faithful to the original recipe.
Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese, softened2 ounces (4 tablespoons or 1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 cups confectioners' sugar
Cream the cream cheese and butter together until well combined. Add vanilla extract. Add confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until frosting is the taste and consistency desired. Use immediately.
Hi! Thanks so much for pinning the banana cake and for making it! I'd love to be able to tell you that it would have come out fluffier if you'd used the shortening, but it's a pretty dense cake either way. I've thought about subbing a cream cheese frosting myself, but I've never been brave enough to veer even a little bit away from the "family birthday cake" recipe. LOL Glad you liked it and if you ever do find a recipe that equals the fluffier cake, I'd love to try it too! ~Mary
ReplyDelete