Kellen's Banana Birthday Cake

Kellen turned 2 this year and told me he wanted a banana cake. I was so excited for this because it was a new adventure and this cake was amazing. It was like a cross between banana bread and banana cream pie. I will be making this again. soon.

Kellen's Banana Cake

1 box (18.25 Oz. Box) Duncan Hines White Cake Mix
¾ cups Water
¼ cups Oil
3 whole Eggs
¾ teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
4 whole Very Ripe Mashed Bananas
1 pint Whip Cream
Powdered Sugar, To Taste
1 box (4.6 Oz. Box) Vanilla Cream Pudding, Cooked (Not instant, it doesn't set up as firm)
3 whole Bananas, Sliced, For Filling
¼ cups Chopped, Toasted Pecans

Mix together cake mix, water, oil, eggs, baking soda and baking powder. Mix for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add bananas and blend well. Bake in 2 or 3 greased and floured round cake pans, following baking recommendations on box until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on racks. Cake can be made the day ahead. Whip the whipping cream, sweeten very lightly with powdered sugar. For the filling, make one large box of cooked vanilla cream pudding mix according to directions on box. Let cool. Split the layers, putting pudding and remaining 3 bananas (sliced) into 2 layers, and the whipped cream in the others. Frost the whole cake with whipped cream and sprinkle chopped nuts on top.

Dark Chocolate Cake.

OH MY GOODNESS!! I don't say this very often but you have to make this cake right now. I mean stop what you are doing and make this cake!! I made it with Special dark cocoa powder and it was AMAZING!! but our family loves dark chocolate! If yours does not the original recipe called for unsweetened coca powder so you can use that just as easily.

I have tried Pioneer Woman's sheet cake and it was yummy but it doesn't work as well with dark cocoa. I've also made this frosting on Tasty Kitchen and have struggled with it each time so when I saw this frosting and this cake and Mel's Kitchen Cafe (one of my fav cooking blogs!!)

It caused one slight problem in the house... her name is Wesli. The night I made the cake I went to the gym and Sam was watching the kiddos. It was Kellen's bedtime and Sam took him in to get him changed and ready. Wesli was alone for less than two minutes and she drug the chair over to the counter and took a bite out of Kellen's unfrosted cake!! I was so sad but instead of making another one I just frosted over it and it turned out ok. When asked why she did it Wesli said, "It smelled so DELICIOUS!" I asked her if it was and she said, "Yes."

Make this cake...Now!



Dark Chocolate Cake
Kellen's Birthday Cake

*When I made this I used regular cake pans but it is a lot of better and it over flowed a little bit. I went out to Joann's and bought the taller cake pans. Or you could make cupcakes instead or a sheet cake but if you use normal cake pans either watch it or don't use all the batter.

3/4 special dark cocoa powder
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and flour your cake pans. Sift all your dry ingredients in to a large bowl. Add all the wet ingredients and mix on low speed for 3 minutes til smooth. Pour batter in to pan of your choice. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from iron and cool on wire racks for 15 minutes. Turnout cake out onto cooling racks and let cool.

*Remember I made 2- 8 in cakes so the baking time is for those. If you are doing cupcakes or a sheet cake you need to watch it and test with a toothpick until it come out clean. I suspect if you overbake it it will be quite dry.

Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe