2 sticks sweet butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 teaspoon baking soda
5 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 to 2 firm but ripe bananas (sliced)
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts.
Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9 inch layer cake pans.
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add mashed bananas, mixing thoroughly.
Sift dry ingredients and add to butter and egg mixture. Stir until flour has been incorporated completely. Add buttermilk and vanilla. Mix for one minute.
Pour batter into the prepared pans. Set on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool in pans on a rack for 10 minutes. Unmold and cool on rock for 2 hours.
When cooled, place one layer on a serving plate and frost with cream cheese frosting. Arrange slices of banana over frosting;cover with second layer and frost top and sides of cake.
Cover sides of cake with chopped nuts, holding nuts in palm and pressing firmly to sides of cake. Dust top of cake with powdered sugar.
Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese (at room temp)
6 tablespoons sweet butter (at room temp)
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)