Blueberry Banana Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

What do you usually do when you have ripe bananas on the counter? Make banana bread? That is what I usually do. Well, that is what I used to do before i was introduced to Blueberry Banana Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

THE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas from about 3 bananas
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 lemon juiced and zested (the zest is for the frosting)
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups blueberries washed and picked over
extra blueberries and sliced almonds for garnish

For the cream cheese frosting:

1/4 cup butter softened
1 8 ounce package light cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
Pinch salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper, with enough paper that paper hangs over the two long sides
Grease lightly with baking spray or butter
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer) cream the butter with the sugars
Blend in the eggs one at a time, and whip until creamy
Add the vanilla as well as the bananas. Mix until creamy
Add the flour, baking soda and salt
Stir the mixture roughly, but do not combine completely
In a large measuring cup, mix the lemon juice with the milk. (Reserve the lemon zest for the frosting.)
With the mixer running, slowly pour the milk into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients
Mix until smooth
Fold in the blueberries
Spread the batter in the prepared pan
Bake the cake for 75 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. (Start checking after 60 minutes, but mine took more like 80 minutes.)
When the cake is firm and a tester comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in pan for 10-15 minutes
Run a knife between the cake and the short edges of the pan to help release the cake
Lift up on the parchment paper to remove the whole cake from the pan, and place the cake, parchment and all, on a cooling rack
Place the rack in the freezer for 30 minutes (I actually did this part but Laura skipped this part and just let it cool completely on the counter)
Remove from freezer and let the cake cool completely before icing
For the icing: In a large bowl, whip the butter and cream cheese together until very smooth, with no lumps remaining
Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla
Add the confectioners sugar, reserved lemon zest, and salt and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth
Spread on cooled cake
Garnish with blueberries and sliced almonds if desired