Banana Snack Cake

I had an abundance of overripe bananas on my banana rack, so instead of making more banana bread I made this tasty cake. You can frost the cake with the cream cheese icing as I did, top it with Cool Whip, or just sprinkle it with powdered sugar.
BANANA SNACK CAKE
Adapted slightly from Cafe Zupas

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup mashed ripe banana

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs until combined, then add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until combined.

3. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Beat flour mixture into the wet batter until just combined. Stir in the mashed banana with a spatula. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.

4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow bars to cool completely before frosting.

Dark Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mousse Filling

My brother-in-law, Jay, had a birthday this past weekend and I offered to make a cake. He requested a chocolate cake, so I tried to make it special with dark chocolate frosting and a chocolate mousse filling. This cake recipe never fails me, and the dark chocolate frosting was simple but divine.

The cake (in a photo with horrible lighting...).Jay prepares to blow out the candles as Leslie (who finished a half marathon earlier that morning) and Brady look on. CHOCOLATE CAKE

From Hershey's

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three 9-inch pans with wax paper and spray pans with cooking spray.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla, a beat on medium speed of mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 25-30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.

DARK CHOCOLATE FROSTING

From Hershey's

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup Hershe's Special Dark Cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt butter, stir in cocoa.

2. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount of additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups frosting.