Banana cake with cream cheese frosting

Use up over-ripe bananas to create a crowd-pleasing afternoon-tea cake.

• Melted butter, to grease
• 125g butter, at room temperature
• 315g (1 1/2 cups) caster sugar
• 1 1/4 cups mashed overripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 100ml buttermilk
• 225g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 banana, extra, to decorate
• Fresh lemon juice, to brush

Cream cheese frosting

• 125g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 50g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 230g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar mixture
• 1 1/2 teaspoons buttermilk

Energy 2520kJ	Fat saturated 13.00g
Fat Total 21.00g	Carbohydrate sugars g
Carbohydrate Total 100.00g	Dietary Fibre 2.00g
Protein 7.00g	Cholesterol mg
Sodium mg

All nutrition values are per serve.

1. Step 1

   Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a round 20cm (base measurement) cake pan with melted butter to grease. Line the base and side of the pan with non-stick baking paper.

2. Step 2

   Place the butter, sugar, banana, eggs and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor, and process for 2 minutes or until well combined. Add the buttermilk and process until combined.

3. Step 3

   Add the flour and bicarbonate of soda, and process until just combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Shake the pan to settle the mixture. Bake in oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes to cool slightly, before transferring the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Step 4

   Meanwhile, to make the cream cheese frosting, use an electric beater to beat the cream cheese and butter in a bowl until well combined. Add the icing sugar and beat until well combined. Add the buttermilk and beat until the mixture is pale and creamy.

5. Step 5

   Place the cake on a serving plate. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake.

6. Step 6

   Peel and thinly slice the extra banana. Lightly brush 1 side of each slice of banana with lemon juice. Arrange the banana slices, lemon juice side up, around the edge of the frosting to serve.

Freezing tip: At the end of step 3, wrap the cake in two layers of plastic wrap, then in foil. Label, date and freeze for up to four months. Thaw overnight at room temperature. Continue from step 4.