Banana Cake with Cocoa Frosting.

 

Although I had been making heart-shaped things all last week, I didn't have anything for Valentine's Day proper.  We had 4 very black bananas on the counter, so naturally, banana cake!  This recipe translated very well to a 10" heart-shaped pan made by Wilton, but the original is baked in a 9x9 square.  The only thing I'd change next time is to either increase the amount of sugar in the batter or glaze the entire cake as it wasn't sweet enough for me.  If you don't have quite the sweet tooth I do, feel free to leave the amount as-is.

 

Banana Cake with Cocoa Frosting

Adapted from Cooking Light

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar 

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

3/4 cup mashed ripe banana

1/4 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. and grease a 9x9" baking pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, cinnamon and salt.  In another bowl, combine the yogurt, mashed banana, oil, extract and egg.  Pour the liquid ingredients onto the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until everything is just mixed together.  Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cocoa Frosting

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

Enough water to make desired frosting thickness

Whisk or sift the sugar and cocoa powder together and add the water.  You can make this thicker if you'd like to pipe it or thinner if you're going to glaze or drizzle the cake.

I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day! :)