Old Fashioned Banana Cake/Bread

"This banana bread recipe has been passed down for the past seven generations in my family. It originally began as a carrot cake and eventually evolved into the perfect banana bread. My grandmother has fond memories of her grandmother's home smelling like sweet bananas and everyone flocking to the kitchen for a warm slice of bread. These memories are similar to my own, my grandmother smiling in the kitchen happily preparing this recipe, the house smelling of warm banana bread, and working my way amongst my family to be the first for a slice.

It wasn't until I began making this recipe myself I understood my childhood memories with more importance. This bread is a part of my family's legacy of caring and loving others. I think about my grandmother every time I make this bread and can't help but imagine my grandmother probably feels the same and thought about her own grandmother making the bread for her family, and her grandmother the same. This bread is extremely versatile and can be made in cake form and frosted or prepared as loaves served warm with a little butter. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my own family has for the past 120+ years!"

- Matt

Banana Cake/Bread

3/4 cups of shortening

2 cups of sugar

1 cup of mashed bananas

3/4 cups of buttermilk

2 cups of flour

4 eggs

2 tsp soda

1 pinch of salt

1 cup of floured nuts (optional)

Buttercream Frosting

2 sticks softened butter

1 cup of shortening

2 cups of powder sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9 inch round cake pans (or two loaf pans) and set aside.

2. Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs and combine well. Mix in bananas, soda, and buttermilk. Add flour and salt and mix until combined well and mixture is thickened.

3. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 35 mins or until a toothpick stuck in the center of the bread comes out clean.

4. Cool the bread completely before frosting a cake or storing. If making a cake, make the the frosting while the cake is cooling.

Frosting Directions

1. In a stand mixer, cream together shortening and softened butter. Add sugar and extracts and whip together. Frosting should be light, hold a peak, and pliable.

2. Once cake is completely cool, frost the cake.

3. Enjoy!

Tips

1. Stand mixers work well to combine both the ingredients and the frosting.

2. This recipe can be used for muffins as well.

3. The frosting tastes great on banana bread too!