Banana Cake with Fudgy Frosting

Usually, when I have three black bananas I make banana bread and when I have two black bananas I make banana chip bars. This time I had a different recipe in mind, which I discovered in a book on my shelf: The Weekend Baker by Abigail Johnson Dodge. Since I have serious trouble following a recipe, here is what I actually did. Everyone loved this cake.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease and flour the bottom and sides or two 9 x 2-inch round cake pans, tapping out the excess flour. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment rounds. (You might be fine without this step, but I went with caution.)

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Mix all together in a medium bowl until well blended. Set aside.

3 very ripe bananas (with black peels)--peel, mash, set aside.

16 tablespoons butter, tepid
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated. Continue beating as you add the vanilla and the mashed banana. Add half the flour mixture, beat until smooth and add:

1/2 cup buttermilk

Beat until smooth and then add the remaining flour mixture and beat until smooth.
Pour into prepared cake pans, dividing evenly between the two pans. Drop the pans from about one foot above the counter to remove bubbles.

Bake until the tops are light brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans for about 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the sides of each pan to loosen the cake. Invert the layers onto racks, lift off the pans, and peel off the parchment. Let cool completely.

For the frosting:
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

Melt in the microwave carefully, stirring after each 30 seconds at 50% power, until completely melted. Then get out your blender and put all the the following in it:

1 cup evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)
1 1/3 cups sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Pour in the melted chocolate last of all and blend on high speed until the mixture darkens and is very thick, about two minutes. I used a wooden spoon to keep it going around until I was sure it was well blended. It will not be pourable. Scrape it out into a bowl and let it cool to room temperature. When the cake is completely cool, frost. Garnish with walnuts. Very decadent!