1. Use soft, overripe bananas in the banana cake.
2. Coat the baking pan with butter and dust with flour to prevent sticking.
3. Use a spoon or electric mixer to beat the banana cake batter.
4. Top the cake with vanilla, chocolate or cream cheese frosting.

</note>

• by Denise Ryan

• Don't let those overripe bananas sitting on your kitchen counter go to waste. Mash the soft fruit to become a key ingredient in a delicious and airy banana cake that's perfect for dessert, breakfast or a late-night snack.

• Gather the following ingredients to create 12-16 servings of luscious banana cake.

• Once you've got the kitchen tools and ingredients at hand, it should take less than one hour to prepare and bake your banana cake.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Food Network: Banana Cake Recipe
2. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with butter and dust with flour.All Recipes: Banana Cake VI
3. Mix the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.All Recipes: Surprise Banana Cake
4. Beat the eggs in one at a time.All Recipes: Banana Cake VI
5. Stir in the vanilla.Food Network: Banana Cake Recipe
6. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in another mixing bowl.Recipezaar: Best Ever Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
7. Into the butter mixture, add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, a little at a time.Recipezaar: Best Ever Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
8. Add the mashed bananas to the batter.Recipezaar: Best Ever Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
9. Pour the cake mixture into the baking pan.All Recipes: Surprise Banana Cake
10. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes.Recipezaar: Banana Chiffon Cake
    • -The cake is done when a toothpick pressed into the center of the cake appears clean when removed.All Recipes: Banana Cake VI
11. Let the cake cool, then top the banana cake with frosting, if desired.All Recipes: Surprise Banana Cake
12. Check out Mahalo's guides to popular frosting types, as well as tips on frosting cupcakes that you can also apply to your banana cake.
    • -How to Make Buttercream Icing
    • -How to Make Vanilla Icing
    • -How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting
    • -How to Make Chocolate Icing
    • -How to Make Royal Icing
    • -How to Frost Cupcakes
    • YouTube Video: Making a Banana Cake (Time: 5:25)

• Once you've mastered the basic recipe, try one of these tasty variations with additional ingredients like pecans, chocolate and raisins.

1. Add pecans and raisins to give the banana cake additional texture and flavor.About.com: Banana Cake Recipe
2. Blend mashed bananas with a devil's food cake mix to make a quick chocolate banana cake.All Recipes: Chocolate Banana Cake
3. Increase the fruity flavor of your banana cake with the addition of crushed pineapple.About.com: Banana Pineapple Cake
4. Bourbon in the batter makes a sophisticated version of banana cake.Martha Stewart: Banana Bourbon Layer Cake
5. Blend in rolled oats and sour cream for extra nutrients and creaminess.All Recipes: Spiced Banana Cake
6. Wheat germ and whole wheat pastry flour help create a healthful banana cake.Recipezaar: Banana Cake
7. Graham crackers and whipped topping make the banana cake an extra sweet treat.Food Network: Banana Split Cake
8. Mix in chocolate chips, cinnamon and walnuts to create a banana coffee cake.Real Simple: Sour Cream Banana Coffee Cake (October 2001)
9. No time to mix a lot of ingredients? Create a simple banana cake with yellow cake mix, bananas and baking soda.All Recipes: Wonderful Banana Cake