Banana Cake

Symonie gave me the Silver Palate Cookbook several years ago for Christmas and I love so many recipes in it. This is one of our families favorites. Cord especially loves it the next day chilled.

INGREDIENTS
2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 tsp baking soda
5 Tbs buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
cream cheese frosting
1 1/2 to 2 firm but ripe bananas
1 1/2 cup walnuts chopped

PREPARATION
Grease & flour two 9" layer cake pans and preheat oven to 350°.

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add mashed bananas and mix thoroughly.

Sift dry ingredients and add to butter/egg mixture. Stir until flour is incorporated. Add buttermilk and vanilla. Mix for one minute.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool on rack for 10 minutes, unmold and cool on rack for 2 hours.

When cooled frost the bottom layer with cream cheese frosting. If desired arrange slices of banana over the frosting and place the second layer on top (I usually just put the bananas on top of the slice as it is served so I don't have brown bananas in the left over cake). Frost the rest of the cake

Cover the sides of the cake with chopped nuts, holding nuts in palm and pressing firmly to sides of cake. Dust top with powdered sugar.

ENJOY!