Icing to die for!

Cake:

• 2 ½ cups sifted cake flour, or 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
• 1 ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 cups vegetable shortening
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Caramel Icing:

• 1 stick (1/4 pound) butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar (either light or dark is okay)
• 1/3 cup milk
• 3 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.

Make the cake layers: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the shortening, butter milk and bananas. Mix with electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and beat 2 minutes more. Fold in the nuts.

Pour the batter into the pans. Bake until the layers start to pull away at the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center of a layer comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

Let the layers cool in the pans for a few minutes, then run a spatula around the sides and invert the layers onto a wire rack to cool completely.

While the layers are cooling, make the frosting: In a medium saucepan on medium heat, bring the butter and brown sugar to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Add the milk and bring back to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Stir in the powdered sugar.

When the cake layers are cool, frost the top of one layer. Put the other layer on top and frost the top and sides.

Tested in the THASC kitchen. Photo by THASC.
THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
www.thasc.com