Great-Grandmother’s Banana Cake
Recipe Notes:
• Shortening: Modern Crisco no longer contains trans fats, so it doesn’t hold up as well in frosting. For best results, use “high-ratio” shortening.
• Cake Flour vs. All-Purpose: Cake flour has lower protein and is more finely milled, which helps create lighter, moister cakes. All-purpose flour can be used, but the cake will be slightly denser.
• Shortening: Modern Crisco no longer contains trans fats, so it doesn’t hold up as well in frosting. For best results, use “high-ratio” shortening.
• Cake Flour vs. All-Purpose: Cake flour has lower protein and is more finely milled, which helps create lighter, moister cakes. All-purpose flour can be used, but the cake will be slightly denser.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 4 tbsp salted butter, melted
- 4 ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (or cake flour)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
For the Frosting
- 4 tbsp salted butter, softened
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar)
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease or spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Cream together sugar, sour cream, eggs, and melted butter in a medium bowl.
- Stir in mashed bananas and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add flour and baking soda; mix just until combined. Fold in walnuts if using.
- Pour batter into prepared dish and spread evenly.
- Bake 25–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting
- Cream butter and confectioner’s sugar with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Slowly add heavy cream and continue mixing until creamy.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- Spread frosting over cooled cake. Slice and enjoy!