Banana-Sour Cream Cake

Banana-Sour Cream Cake
By: Kraft Philadelphia Holiday Desserts

1 package yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup canola oil
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
16oz powdered sugar
1 cup finely chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Beat first 5 ingredients with an electric mixer on low speed just until moistened, stopping frequently to scrape down bottom and sides of bowl. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into greased and floured 9x13 pan.

Bake 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Beat cream cheese and butter with mixer until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition.

2 options to assemble:
Easy:
Cover cooled cake with cream cheese frosting, slice and serve.
More elaborate:
Remove cake from pan. Carefully cut cake crosswise in half using serrated knife. Place 1 cake half, top-side down, on plate; spread with some of the cream cheese frosting. Top with remaining cake half, top-side up. Spread top and sides with remaining frosting. Press nuts into sides (optional).

Keep in refrigerator.

*How to neatly frost the cake: Freeze cake layers about 20 minutes before frosting. This helps to set the crumbs on the cut edges of the cake layers so they don’t pull up into the frosting. Add don’t worry if the frosting does not look perfect on the sides of the cake- the nuts will cover any imperfections.*

Makes 16 servings