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TO PREPARE THE CAKE: Coat 2x8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with wax paper.
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Coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust each pan with 1 1/2 teaspoon flour.
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Place granulated sugar and 1/4 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes).
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Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
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Lightly spoon 1 3/4 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife.
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Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoons salt, stirring well with a whisk.
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Combine buttermilk, banana, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
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Add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately to the sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture (mix after each addition just until blended).
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Pour batter into prepared pans.
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Bake cake at 350F for 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
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Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans.
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Peel off wax paper.
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Cool layers completely on wire rack.
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TO PREPARE THE FROSTING: Combine cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, rind, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and dash of salt in a large bowl.
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Beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy.
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Gradually add powdered sugar; beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat).
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Place 1 cake layer on a plate, and spread with 1/3 cup frosting.
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Arrange raspberries in a single layer over frosting and top with remaining layer .
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Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.
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Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.
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Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired.
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TIPS: Make the cake up to 2 days ahead.
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Store, loosely covered, in the refrigerator.
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Butter is the correct softness when it gently yields to the pressure of a finger.
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If you can push your finger deeply into the butter, it's too soft.
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Make sure that your're not scooping your flour.
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Follow our directions to lightly scoop the flour into dry measuring cups, and then level off the excess wirh a knife.
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If you scoop, you can get up to twice as much flour as intended.