This is a version of one of Momma’s popular cakes. Her cake was actually a yellow cake with a filling and frosting of vanilla custard with smashed bananas. But according to Momma, a cake like this had to be refrigerated because bananas will turn dark. She made this cake when she knew there would be a crowd.
I used my standard Easy 1-2-3-4 cake which can be found on my blog. Click here. A box of yellow cake mix can also be used if you do not have time to make a homemade cake.
As the cake is cooling, you can begin to make the custard. It is akin to a pie filling. You cook in a saucepan until it thickens, stirring frequently. If you are like Momma, she turns the stovetop on high and stands there and stirs. I like to use medium-high and let it come to a boil where you see big craters popping. That’s when I take off the burner and add the vanilla and butter. This has to be completely cooled before use on this cake. When it is cooled, the “smashed” bananas are added.
Begin working on the buttercream which only takes a few minutes. If you like to pipe decorations on top, then you may want a stiffer consistency but not too stiff depending on the size tip. Now, I am self-taught and you can tell. But it is fun to do. If I don’t like the way my cake looks, I just say it tastes delicious and I will decorate better next time. After all, I am giving them away, not selling them. And it is the sheer enjoyment.
I can tell you if I add color to the buttercream, I usually use the gel colors because it takes a tiny bit.
I have all three recipes at the bottom of this page. The cake and icing are my go-to’s. I love to add the filling between the layers and I have learned that if I add a ring around the cake, the filling will not drip out. Momma made a big pot of this filling and put it between the layers and just poured it over the top. It was a great cake.
Have fun! If you love banana cream, you will love this one!
EASY 1-2-3-4- CAKE
Ingredients
CAKE
- 1 cup butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Fudge Icing
- 1 /2 stick butter
- 3 heaping tablespoons Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder or 1/2 bar Baker's Semi-sweet Chocolate Bar
- 1 16-oz box Confectioners sugar, sifted
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
Instructions
CAKE
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your cake pans with nonstick spray with flour.
In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt with a fork. Set aside.
Measure your milk out and add vanilla to the milk. Set aside.
In your mixing bowl, cream the butter by turning the mixer on medium-high.
Turn mixer to lower speed. Add sugar by pouring in a fine stream until all has been added. Turn mixture on high and beat for 2 minutes. Stop and scrape down sides with a .spatula. Beat another 2-3 minutes until the mixture has turned white and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating just u til the yellow disappears. Scrape down sides with a spatula.
Turn mixer on low and add about a cup of the flour and about 1/3 of the milk. Repeat until all flour and milk has been added and combined well.
Spoon evenly into your baking pans. Spread the top evenly. Place a folded dishcloth on the counter and lightly tap each pan to release the trapped air.
Bake about 25 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick.
Cool in pans 10 minutes and flip onto plan or cooling rack.
FUDGE ICING
In a saucepan, add butter and melt. On medium heat, stir in cocoa.
Add sugar, about a cup at a time with a tablespoon of milk. The mixture will look thick but add milk a tablespoon at a time. It may even harden as you are icing the cake but reheat and add a bit of milk. it makes a fabulously fudgy icing.
Notes
This cake can be made in a Bundt pan, 3 8-inch rounds or 2 9-inch round pans.
If you want a Chocolate 1-2-3-4 cake, just add 1/4 cup sifted Hersheys Cocoa powder to your flour mixture.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12 slicesServing Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 647Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 126mgSodium: 480mgCarbohydrates: 98gFiber: 1gSugar: 72gProtein: 7g
Nutrition information can vary for a recipe based on factors such as precision of measurements, brands, ingredient freshness, or the source of nutrition data.
SMASHED BANANA FILLING
Vanilla custard with mashed bananas.
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 large bananas
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and milk together.
- Add milk and stir well.
- Turn to low heat.
- Add yolks to a small bowl. Whip with a fork and set aside.
- Turn the sugar mixture up to med-high and stir frequently.
- Take 1/4 cup of the hot mixture and slowly pour into the eggs, whipping with a fork Add egg mixture to the sugar mixture and stir well.
- Cook until the mixture thickens and you see a healthy number of bubbles in the mixture.
- Set aside to cool completely.
- When it gets to room temperature, put 3 large peeled bananas in a bowl.
- With a potato masher, mash all of the bananas. Scrape into the cooled vanilla custard. stir well.
Notes
The mixture has to cool completely to room temperature before adding bananas.
PERFECT BUTTERCREAM ICING
Frosting that can be used for filling, frosting and decorating
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup. unsalted butter, room temp
- 1 1/4 cup Crisco
- 1 32-oz bag confectioner's sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Cream butter and Crisco until completely combined. Stop the mixer and scrape sides and bottom to ensure that everything is mixed.
- Begin adding the sugar, one cup at a time on a low speed and increase speed as you see it coming together.
- Add the salt while you are adding sugar.
- Add vanilla to milk.
- As you begin to see the frosting get thick, begin adding milk one tablespoon at a time until you get the consistency you want.
Notes
I use the Crisco sticks. They are measured like butter.
Sometimes I add a few extra tablespoons of milk if it is too stiff.
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
– Benjamin Franklin