Banana Sheet Cake With Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting

This moist cake's flavor is secretly enhanced

 with a tiny amount of spiced rum.

Cake Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs at room temperature

2 tablespoons spiced rum

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups extra ripe mashed bananas (about 4 medium bananas)*

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

 

*The riper the banana the better the flavor. I put 4 bananas in a large measuring cup and pureed with an immersion blender.

Frosting Ingredients:

4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon spiced rum

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3 cups powdered sugar

Garnish Ingredients:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablesppons powdered sugar

nutmeg

15 to 20 pecan halves

Cake Method:

Preheat oven to 350*. Use butter or shortening to grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Dust with flour and set aside.

(Use the butter wrapper to apply the butter or shortening. Add a few tablespoons of flour to the pan and then turn and tap the pan to coat the bottom and sides. Tap over the sink to remove any excess flour.)

Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy and creamy. Add the eggs, rum and vanilla to the creamed mixture and mix at medium speed until well combined.

Sift together the flour and baking soda. Add to the creamed ingredients and mix at low speed just until combined. Add the bananas and beat on medium speed until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Transfer to a rack to allow the cake to cool completely.

Frosting Method:

Add the cream cheese and butter to a medium/large bowl and beat on medium speed until light and creamy. Add the vanilla, rum, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat until well mixed in. Mix in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, at low speed. When the sugar is completely mixed in and the frosting is fluffy. Spread over the top of the cooled cake.

The cake may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. The cake may also be made ahead of time and frozen for 1 month. (Thaw overnight in the refigerator.)

Garnish Method:

Whip the cream at high speed just until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and continue beatimg until the cream is stiff enough to be piped through a a pastry bag.** Cut the frosted cake into 15 to 20 equal portions.*** When ready to serve, spoon or pipe a dollop of whipped cream on top of each piece of cake. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Place a pecan on top of the whipped cream. Serves 15 to 20.

**If you do not have a pastry bag, the whipped cream can be placed in a plastic baggie. Snip one corner and pipe the cream on top of each portion of cake. You may substitute canned whipped cream for the homemade cream, but it is softer and doesn't hold it's shape as well.

***This cake is delicious, but rich. I recccomend cutting into 20 servings ~ you can always have a second piece!

Notes:  I reccomend making this cake the day before serving because like banana bread, the flavor is even better the following day. I also think  the cake tastes best served chilled. 🍌 

My husband was skeptical about this recipe, because he doesn't like rum ~ None-the-less, he really liked this cake!