Cook Time: 40 minutes
Prep Time: twenty minutes
Total Time: one hour
Ingredients:
Cream Topping:
four ounces (1/2 cup) cream cheese (half of a large 8-ounce block), at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
one egg, at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Banana Cake Batter:
1/2 cup butter (one stick), at room temperature
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
two eggs, at room temperature
one tsp vanilla extract
three medium ripe bananas, pureed with 1/2 tsp lemon juice (one cup banana puree)
two cups flour
1-1/4 tsp baking powder
one tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
one cup (8 ounces) banana yogurt (see note)
one cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, cashews, or macadamia nuts
Icing:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
one tsp milk or cream (about)
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick foil.
Make the Cream Topping:
In a medium mixing bowl, blend together the cream cheese & sugar with a hand mixer. Add the egg & beat until incorporated & smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract. Set aside.
Make the Batter:
In a large mixing bowl, merge the sugar with the butter until well-mixed. It will look crumbly. Add the eggs, separately, blending after each. Add the vanilla extract & bananas. Mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, merge flour with baking powder, baking soda, & salt.
Add the flour mixture & yogurt to the butter mixture, a third at a time, alternating between the until all is incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips & nuts (pecans, walnuts, cashews, or macadamia nuts).
Bake about 35 to 40 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to rack to icy to room temperature.
Pour batter in to prepared baking pan & smooth. Drop dollops of the cream cheese topping on top of the banana batter, then smooth to cover.
Make the Icing:
Mix milk or cream with confectioners' sugar until smooth, adding liquid so it can be drizzled. Scrape in to a zip-top bag, squeeze out the air, & seal. Snip a small corner from the bottom of the bag & drizzle the icing on top of the banana cake. Let sit at least an hour to set.
Yield: 18 to 36 servings, depending on cut size