Banana-Rama Cake

This evil jungle cake comes courtesy of ze Cooking Channel (cookingchanneltv.com). Bananas...check. Chocolate...check. Cream cheese, pecans, sugar, NUTELLA....CHECK! This cake is ridiculous and best when served ice cold. At home and at the office...this cake did NOT last long.

The original recipe calls for three layers. I cut mine down to two layers and used the rest to make two mini loaves. I would also double the recipe for the cream cheese whipped cream frosting...because you eat most of it before it even goes on the cake. Well...at least some of you will. Lastly...I added coconut flavoring instead of vanilla to the frosting.

This cake is so good...it's dumb.

CAKE:
3/4 cup softened salted butter
1.5 cups packed light brown sugar
1.5 cups sugar
3 large eggs
6 medium ripe bananas, mashed
1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4.5 cups wheat flour
1 tb baking soda
Salt
1 cup chopped pecans, optional
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1 (13-ounce) container Nutella)

WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
1 softened block cream cheese
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla OR coconut extract
2 cups heavy whipping cream

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Grease 2-3 (9-inch) round cake pans with butter or cooking spray. In large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, bananas, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter.

Stir in pecans and chocolate chips. Divide the batter among the baking pans. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes.

For the frosting: Prepare the frosting by whipping the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until creamy....omg don't eat it all yet. Increase the mixing speed, then slowly pour in the heavy cream and beat until smooth and thick and the frosting is the consistency of whipped cream....OK now dig in as this is the best part! Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.

To assemble the cake, place 1 cake layer on a cake plate. Spread with 1/2 the container of chocolate-hazelnut spread. (Really only use as much Nutella as you like...this calls for an entire jar to which I only used half). Repeat with the second layer, using the remaining 1/2 of the chocolate-hazelnut spread. Frost the rest of the cake with the cream cheese frosting and garnish. Place in the fridge to chill until ready to serve.