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1
Preheat oven to 350F.
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2
Butter 2 (9-inch) round cake pans and line bottom of each with a round of parchment or wax paper.
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3
Butter paper, then dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.
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4
Whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.
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5
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld.
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6
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla.
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7
Reduce speed to low and add half of flour mixture, mixing until blended.
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8
Add milk and mix until just combined, then add remaining flour mixture, mixing just until batter is smooth.
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9
Divide batter evenly between cake pans, smoothing tops.
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10
Bake in middle of oven until cake is springy to the touch and a tester inserted in center of each cake layer comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes.
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11
Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes, then invert onto racks, remove paper, and cool completely.
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12
Peel bananas and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices, then lightly brush with lemon juice (to prevent discoloring).
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13
Beat cream with superfine sugar and vanilla in a bowl with cleaned beaters at medium speed until it just holds stiff peaks.
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14
Put 1 cake layer on a cake plate and spread with 3/4 cup whipped cream.
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15
Top with 1 layer of banana slices arranged side by side.
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16
Arrange second cake layer over bananas and spread remaining cream over top and sides of cake.
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17
Arrange remaining bananas, overlapping slightly, on top of cake.
