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BANANA-STRAWBERRY LAYER CAKE
Source: In the Sweet Kitchen by Regan Daley
Ingredients should be at room temperature.

Cake Layers
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 3 large)
2 cups cake-and-pastry flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup full-fat sour cream

Cream Cheese Icing
1 lb. cream cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter
500 gram package (about 4 to 4 1/3 cups) icing sugar, sifted
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 quart fresh ripe strawberries

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour 2 - 9" round cake pans. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. (Don't worry if batter separates.) Add vanilla and bananas; blend well.

Sift together dry ingredients. Add half to banana mixture; blend briefly. Scrape down bowl and beat in sour cream. Add remaining flour mixture, stirring just until mixed. Pour batter into pans.

Bake on center rack of oven at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 5 to 7 minutes. Invert onto a cake rack; cool completely.

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Sift in icing sugar 1 cup at a time. Beat in vanilla and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes (or up to 2 days).

Spread one layer with a generous amount of icing. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Reserve 10 to 12 berries for garnishing. Hull remaining berries; cut in thirds lengthwise and arrange over frosted layer. Cover with unfrosted layer. Press down gently so it will adhere. Spread top and sides with remaining icing. Refrigerate up to 24 hours. Garnish with reserved berries up to 6 hours before serving.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.