When in doubt, bake Banana Cake

I obviously don't get that much time to myself.  I'm not even alone when I'm showering or going to the bathroom.  What they say is true!  Your little munchkins will follow around like a shadow.  You know what though?  I love it.  Many, many years down the road they will not be my shadow.  That brings tears to my eyes even thinking about it. 

So this last weekend Mario took the girls up to his grandmas place, we call it the barn.  His grandparents have a hay and grain business.  They also have a ton of cows, ones that just live there and eat the grass.  We love going up to visit Nona and feed the cows.  If you've never drove around a farm truck with big bales of hay feeding these huge animals its quite the experience! I am still so intimidated by them.

I sort of missed the point, I stayed home.  I went grocery shopping for the week. Stopped in Bath and Body Works, got a few things for my Christmas giveaway! They have some new delicious smelling candles out, I snagged a few!  I also hit up my favorite place on Earth, Tarjay!  I'm trying to get my Thanksgiving table setting finished.  Did I mention I'm hosting my 1st one this year! Unfortunately they were sold out of the plates I needed, darnit!

Well that took a few hours.  Then I did some more laundry, changed the cat box, Yuck!  Had some dinner, drank a energy drink, and had a glass of wine! But they still weren't home.  So, when in doubt I bake.  Plus we were having Mario's other grandpa over for Sunday dinner and I needed a dessert.  I always have beyond ripe bananas collecting in my freezer so I baked up a simple banana cake.  Nothing fancy, no layers, just a regular ol' 9x13 pan.

Here is the recipe: pre heat your oven to 325 degrees
Banana Cake
1 cup sugar
2 cups AP flour
1 stick softened butter
3 very ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick softened butter
1 8 oz package of softened cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cream cheese emulsion (if you don't have it, don't worry)
1 Tbsp half and half


For the cake, cream your butter, sugar, and eggs.  Add in your mashed bananas, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, cinnamon and mix.  Then gradually add your flour, baking powders, and salt.  Mix for a few minutes.  Pour into well greased pan and bake for 35 minutes.  Do your toothpick test, poke in center of cake.  If it comes out clean cake is done.  Let your cake cool and then frost. For the frosting mix cream cheese and butter.  Add in your extracts.  Then slowly mix powder sugar and half and half. 

Amira decorating her Turkey day mirror

 

Gia the toy solider

On a side note, my girls and I drove to a nearby town and found the plates I needed at that Target.  We also snail like walked up and down the toy isles, I took notes for Santa.  It is pain stakingly hard for my girls not to want a toy, and me not buy it! Eek!  Here are a few pictures of our Sunday.

Playing in the backyard with Rocco

If you end up baking this cake let me know how you like it!  Much love, Linzi