Banana Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Banana Cake

The other weekend I helped make homemade pizzas at a friend’s dinner party. The pizza was cooked in their wood fire oven and they came out AHHmazing. I seriously need to invest in one of those ovens!! Baking pizza on a pizza stone in the oven just doesn’t compare anymore. I want one… and I WANT ONE NOW :) One of these days I’m having one built. Plus a grill stove put in the kitchen. I’m such a dreamer, aren't I?!

Now let’s talk a bit about this Banana Cake. It is the easiest cake you’ll ever make since it’s semi-homemade. My family has been baking a homemade version for years, but more recently my aunt whisked up this version. Talk about genius!! I liked it even better. If you have a Trader Joe’s in your area, use their Golden Yellow Cake Mix. I prefer it to another brand, plus it doesn’t have that fake yellow tint to it either. This delicious & dense Banana Cake is moist and has a pleasing banana flavor. Did I mention the addicting cinnamon cream cheese frosting that gets slathered all over the cake? It is quite AHHmazing too. Luckily, there was one big slice of cake left from the party that I could snap a photo of to share with all of you. The little brown lumps on top were just chocolate covered toffee balls I used to decorate the cake. It looks a little unusual on one slice of cake, but as a whole they are a nice touch. XOXO....little j Y

Banana Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

*Serves 12

For Cake:

1 box Trader Joe’s Golden Yellow Cake Mix {+ H2O, eggs & melted butter}

3 fresh bananas, mashed but still a bit chunky

For Frosting:

6 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, at room temperature

3 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8” or 9” round pans.

Make cake mix according to directions on the box. Use butter rather than oil. Stir in mashed bananas. Divide & pour into greased pans. Bake 30-35 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in vanilla and cinnamon. Gradually add sugar and beat until combined. Spread onto cooled cake. Decorate as desired.