Making Banana Cake Layers
- Preheat oven’s to 350°F. Line three 6” round cake pans with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can generously butter and flour them or use non-stick baking spray before setting them aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, add and whisk together the following dry cake ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Using the paddle attachment in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream your butter and sugars together on medium-high for 2-3 minutes. Stop mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and mashed bananas, and mix on medium-high again for 2-3 minutes. You may need to cover your stand mixer with a towel to avoid splatter.
- Add your buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract to one small bowl and drizzle it down the side of the mixing bowl to slowly incorporate it. Start the mixer on a low speed before increasing to medium-high and beating for 4 minutes, until mixture is completely homogeneous with no streaks in the batter.
- Incorporate dry ingredients into wet for about 30 seconds with your mixer. Continue incorporating by hand with a spatula until well-combined. Scrape the bowl’s sides to ensure no dry ingredients are hiding in pockets.
- Pour and evenly spread the batter into your prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes. You’ll know your cake is done when it appears buttery and dense but bounces back at the touch of your finger.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Making Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- Create a double boiler on your stovetop, using a medium-sized heatproof bowl on top of a similarly sized pot full of gently boiling water. Pour your heavy cream and chocolate pieces into the heatproof bowl and whisk continuously until smooth.
- Then pour that into your mixing bowl, along with room temperature cream cheese and vanilla extract. Mix everything together for about 1 minute. It will look initially lumpy.
- Lastly, beat in powdered sugar last. The final texture will look like a thick pudding.
Assembling Cake Layers
- First, pipe or spread a dollop of your frosting onto a cake circle to act as glue to hold the layer in place. Set first cake layer on top of that.
- With a spoon or offset spatula, evenly spread roughly 20% of your chocolate frosting on top of the bottom layer. Place second cake layer on top of the first, repeating the same steps, and then add your third layer.
- Then, starting from the base of the cake, begin to place dollops of frosting onto your cake and drag it around with a spoon or offset spatula. The design is more rustic so doesn't need to be perfect, though be careful to avoid pulling lots of crumbs through your frosting.
- Continue coating cake with remaining cream cheese frosting.
- If desired, add sprinkles on top of your cake for a more dressed up appearance.