Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Toasted Coconut

By cecelia26_

Ingredients

• Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon Clabber Girl Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 2/3 cups mashed bananas (about 3)
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup nuts, chopped (optional)
• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
• 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar
• Garnish: 2 cups flaked coconut, toasted

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from clabbergirl.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans*; set aside.

Cake: In a large bowl, with a wooden spoon, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Mash bananas in a food processor or in a separate bowl by hand. Add eggs, buttermilk, applesauce and mashed bananas to flour mixture, mixing well. Stir in chopped nuts.

Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and bake at 350 degrees F. for 35 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting: In large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, margarine and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium to high speed till light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in enough of the remaining powdered sugar to make frosting of spreading consistency. Makes about 3 cups.

To toast coconut, spread both cups coconut in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 300 F. for about 20 minutes, stirring at 5 minute intervals to make sure that the coconut browns evenly.

*You may also bake in a 9x13 inch pan; 40 minutes baking time, and half the cream cheese frosting recipe to frost only the top of the cake