1teaspoonxanthan gumomit if your blend already contains it
1teaspoonbaking soda
½teaspoonbaking powder
½teaspoonkosher salt
6tablespoons(84g)unsalted butterat room temperature
6tablespoons(72g)granulated sugar
¼cup(55g)packed light brown sugar
2(100g (weighed out of shell))eggsat room temperature, beaten
2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
1cup(200g)mashed VERY ripe bananas(about 2 medium-sized bananas, peeled and mashed)
½cup(4fluid ounces)milkat room temperature
For the frosting
8ouncescream cheeseat room temperature
2tablespoons(28g)unsalted butterat room temperature
Seeds from 1/2 vanilla beanor 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1cup(115g)confectioners’ sugar
For a lighter version of the cake
5tablespoons(70g)unsalted butterin place of 6 tablespoons
1(50g (weighed out of shell))eggin place of eggs
2(50g)egg whitesin place of eggs
½cup(120g)light sour creamin place of 1/2 cup milk
For a lighter version of the frosting
6ounceslight cream cheeseat room temperature, in place of cream cheese and butter
¾cup(86g)confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch square baking dish and set it aside.
Make the cake.
In a small bowl, place the flour blend, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder and salt, and whisk to combine well. Set the bowl aside.
In a large bowl, place the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and eggs, and beat well with a hand mixer until smooth and light. Add the vanilla and mashed bananas, and mix with a spoon until just combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl, and then the milk, mixing until just combined after each addition. The batter will be thick.
Scrape the cake batter into the prepared pan, and smooth into an even layer with a wet spatula.
Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 22 to 24 minutes, or until the cake springs back when pressed gently in the center.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting.
Place all the frosting ingredients in a large bowl (or the clean bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) and beat with a hand mixer until smooth.
Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake, and slice the cake with a sharp knife into 9 or 12 pieces—or slice the cake bare and frost individual pieces. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition Information per piece of “lighter” cake, as calculated with recipes.sparkpeople.com (I only provide nutrition info for recipes that I call “light” or “lighter”), assuming 12 pieces of cake:Calories 192.8 | Total Fat 6.2 g | Cholesterol 30.3 mg | Sodium 202.1 mg | Potassium 100.8 mg | Total Carbohydrate 31.8 g (Dietary Fiber 0.8 g; Sugars 16.5 g) | Protein 3.0 gFrosting adds the following per piece (assuming 12 pieces of cake):Calories 45.8 | Total Fat 1.1 g | Cholesterol 4.5 mg | Sodium 43.2 mg | Total Carbohydrate 8.0 g (Sugars 7.7 g) | Protein 0.5 g