Recipe: Favorite Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (13x9-inch, using buttermilk and beaten egg whites)

FAVORITE BANANA CAKE

"Once you taste this you will know why it is a favorite. A good keeper if refrigerated."

FOR THE CAKE:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, separated
1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 medium ripe)
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped pecans
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 to 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted if lumpy
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch cake pan. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Transfer to a piece of wax paper.

In same bowl, with an electric mixer on low speed, beat oil and sugar together. Add egg yolks, bananas, buttermilk and vanilla and beat until well combined. By hand, mix in dry ingredients and pecans.

In a separate bowl using clean beaters, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into banana mixture. Transfer to prepared pan.

Bake in center of oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING:
In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, 2 cups confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Beat on low speed of an electric mixer until well combined. Turn mixer to medium and beat until light. If necessary, add additional sugar until frosting is of spreading consistency. When cake is cool, spread with frosting while still in pan. Makes 16 servings.

Adapted from source; Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel - You Asked for It, June 1, 2006