Ingredients

serves 18-20

　　

Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour

　　2 cups granulated sugar

　　1 teaspoon baking soda

　　1 teaspoon cinnamon

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　3 eggs, beaten

　　3/4 cup vegetable oil

　　1 3/4 cups mashed bananas

　　One 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, with juice

　　1 cup chopped pecans

　　1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

　　

Frosting

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature

　　1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

　　1 pound confectioners sugar, sifted

　　1 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　1/2 cup chopped pecans

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. For the cake, in a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the eggs and oil and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not beat. Stir in the banana, the pineapple and its juice, the pecans, and the vanilla. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 23 to 28 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake layers in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack to cool completely.

　　

Step 2

While the cake cools, make the frosting: In a bowl, blend together the cream cheese and butter. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Stir in the pecans, or reserve them to sprinkle over the frosted cake. Fill and frost the cake.

　　The Lady & Sons, Too! by Paula Deen. © 2001 by Paula H. Deen. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved.Paula H. Deen was born and raised in Albany, Georgia. She later moved to Savannah, where she and her two sons, Bobby and Jamie, started the Bag Lady catering company. The business took off and evolved into The Lady & Sons Restaurant, which is located in Savannah’s historic district and specializes in Southern cooking. Paula is the host of Food Network’s Paula’s Home Cooking and is a regular guest on QVC, where her cookbooks are one of the newtowrk’s biggest sellers.