Of this I am guilty: Every time I have some over-ripe bananas on the counter, I make the same banana bread, again and again, and again. Why mess with success, right? But when I saw this recipe, it convinced me that maybe it was time for a change. Because who can argue with tucking those bananas into a 9×13 cake that’s big enough to share with all your friends and topping it off with a sweet coffee-kissed buttercream frosting? I certainly can’t
When I first saw coffee-flavored frosting paired with banana, I was a little trepidatious. But there was no need for that fear! First of all, this is barely coffee-flavored so it’s not going to smack you over the head with flavor. It’s more like the frosting has a subtle hint of coffee’s bitter, aromatic nature and those qualities turn out to be the perfect contrast to the sweet banana cake it tops.
FOR THE CAKE:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups ripe bananas, mashed (about 3 medium)
1 cup Greek yogurt
FOR THE FROSTING:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
2-3 tablespoons whole milk
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PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt and add the mixture to the butter mixture in thirds, alternating with the bananas and Greek yogurt, mixing well after each addition.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
While cake cools, make the frosting:
In a medium bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until combined.
Dissolve the instant coffee in milk, then add to the butter mixture and beat on high speed until light and fluffy.
Spread frosting over cooled cake. Enjoy!
