hershey's chocolate frosting meets david leibovitz's banana cake

Let's have a party.

Makes one, two-tired 9-inch cake

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
6 tablespoons buttermilk, yogurt, or sour cream, room temperature

2 cups banana puree (3 to 4 large bananas)

For the frosting:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup cocoa powder

3 cups confectioner's sugar

1/8 teaspoon instant coffee powder

1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper.

Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium-sized bowl. Using a large whisk, whisk to combine.

In a stand mixer with with the paddle attachment on medium speed, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and espresso powder (or coffee powder) and beat to just combine. Add the eggs one-at-a-time, beating well until completely incorporated.

Mix in half of the flour mixture, followed by the sour cream (or buttermilk or yogurt) and banana puree. Reduce speed to stir, stir in the remaining flour mixture, then stir in the pecans (or walnuts) just until combined. Do not over mix.

Divide the batter evenly among the 2 prepared baking pans. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the centres of the cakes comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

In a large bowl, mix together butter, sugar, cocoa powder, coffee powder, and milk until there are no lumps. Once the cake is cooled, frost and serve!