Shelly's Recipe

BANANA-BLACK WALNUT CAKE WITH CARAMEL FROSTING

Category: Cakes

Cake:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped black walnuts

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more as necessary
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 (16-oz) box confectioners sugar
2 cups finely chopped black walnuts, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 (9 inch) cake pans. For the cake: In a medium bowl, stir together flour and baking soda; set aside. Cream together shortening and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add flour mixture, mix until just combined. Stir in black walnuts. Pour into prepared pans. Bake about 35 minutes. Cool in pans on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare frosting. Melt butter in small saucepan. Add brown sugar and cream. Cook until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Transfer to a large bowl. Beat in confectioners sugar a little at a time until smooth. If frosting is too thick, add 1 tbsp heavy cream at a time until consistency is right. Sandwich 2 layers of cake with frosting. Frost outside. Press chopped black walnuts on the sides.