Cream Filled Banana Cake

My rating: really like it.

                                    Cream Filled Banana Cake

I remember going to a local bakery, when I was a kid, that sold these awesome banana flips. It was a thin round banana cake, with a banana cream filling, which was folded in half, like a taco. This cake, sort of  reminds me of them.
I love this banana cake recipe. I got it from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, many years ago. I think it's perfect, and have never tried another recipe. Any time I have over-ripe bananas, I make this cake. I usually top it with cream cheese frosting. I found a cream filling recipe, in a Taste of Home magazine, that I have been playing with, for a few years. I would like to get it fluffier, but I'm running out of ideas. Here is a similar looking filling I found at Baking Bites.

For the banana cake:
2 room temperature, eggs
2-1/4cups flour
1cup sugar
1-1/2tsp. baking powder
1tsp. baking soda
1/2tsp. salt
2 over-ripe bananas- mashed
3/4cup buttermilk
1/2cup shortening
1tsp. vanilla

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350*
Spray 2 round cake pans, with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, until well combined.
Add the bananas, buttermilk, shortening, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer, until creamy.
Add the eggs, and beat for about 2 minutes.
Divide between the 2 pans. and bake about 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Cool 5 minutes, remove them from the pans, and put them on a wire rack, to cool completely.
Spread the filling on the top of one cake, place the other cake on top, and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.



For the banana cream filling:
2Tbl. flour
1/4cup milk
1/4cup butter-softened
1/4cup sugar
1/4cup confectioners sugar
1/2tsp. imitation banana extract
1/4tsp. vanilla extract
pinch salt
1tsp. meringue powder- I found it at Walmart, in the Wilton cake decorating section
1tsp. water
Preparation:
Combine the flour and milk, in a saucepan. Heat on a low flame, whisking constantly, until it thickens. refrigerate for 1 hour.
In a bowl, beat all other ingredients, until well combined. Add the flour mixture, and beat until fluffy.

              I make the filling first, then refrigerate until the cakes are cool.

These yucky, over-ripe bananas, are like gold, to a banana cake lover like me. With all those Grandkids, running around, I don't get leftover bananas very often. If you use ones that are less ripe, it just doesn't taste the same.

Bake the cakes, until lightly browned.This is the easiest cake to make, and it never fails me. I use this same recipe, to make banana nut bread. Just add walnuts, and bake it in 2 loaf pans.