Recipe: Banana Layer Cake and Creamy Banana Frosting from 1938

BANANA LAYER CAKE FROM 1938

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, unbeaten
2 cups sifted flour (cake flour preferred)
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 large banana, sliced
Creamy Banana Frosting (recipe follows)

Combine solid vegetable shortening, salt and lemon rind. Add sugar gradually and cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.

Sift flour and baking powder together 3 times. Add small amounts of flour to creamed mixture, alternately with milk, beating after each addition until smooth. Pour batter into two 8-inch layer pans greased with solid vegetable shortening.

Bake in a moderately hot oven (375 degrees F). 25 minutes.

Spread Creamy Banana Frosting (recipe below) on one layer and arrange banana slices on top. Place second layer on top and spread frosting on top and sides of cake.

CREAMY BANANA FROSTING
Makes enough frosting to cover tops and sides of two 8-inch layers.

2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 large banana, mashed
3 tablespoons scalded cream (about)

Combine solid vegetable shortening, butter, salt and grated lemon rind, and blend. Add 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar gradually, creaming well. Add mashed banana and blend. Add remaining confectioners' sugar, alternately with cream, beating until smooth and creamy and stiff enough to spread.

Makes one 8-inch, 2-layer cake
Source: Mrs. Thurn, food expert and lecturer in the Rochester, PA; Daily Times newspaper, Wednesday, Jan 19, 1938.