RECIPE FOR THALHIMERS CHOCOLATE CAKE AND FOR A BANANA LAYER CAKE WITH ICING

[glebe]

I would love a good banana layer cake with your favorite icing.Also has anyone made the Thalhimers 6layer chocolate cake recipe that was posted yesterday?It states to use 2 pans each 17x12.That should make two 6 layer cakes if I'm calculating correctly.Any opinions on this before I try the recipe? Does anyone have the address of Martin's in Richmond or where it is located?

[TorontoJo]

The banana cake from the infamous Elvis cake is delicious. Here's a slightly modified version:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
3 mashed ripe bananas

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, cream sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, beating just to combine. finally, stir in vanilla and mashed bananas. Pour batter evenly between two greased 9 inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

The Elvis cake calls for this to be frosted with a peanut butter frosting, but any frosting works on it: vanilla buttercream (I would go with the cooked flour buttercream as it's not too sweet), chocolate, cream cheese, etc.

[glebe]

If you have the Elvis cake and frosting recipe and wouldn't mind sharing it I would love that as well. Thanks so much for your version will be making it this week.

[TorontoJo]

Sure, here's the original thread about it, which contains the link to the blog with the recipe:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/438182

I don't use chocolate chips, but have put a chocolate ganache layer in the middle instead. And I cut way back on the amount of sugar in the frosting. It's all quite delicious together. :)

[chowser]

I love this cake. I use part cream cheese for the butter for the frosting. It's really good. I finish the decoration w/ peanut butter cups, although candied bacon might be a good alternative.

[TorontoJo]

I love this cake, too. The frosting (once you cut back on the sugar) is soooo good -- kind of like eating a whipped peanut butter fudge. The nice thing is that the cake is delicious on its own -- I've made a bundt cake with it and not frosted it at all. You know, for those times when you need to delude yourself that eating cake without frosting is "better" for you.