Banana Cream Cake

Cooking Instructions

Position racks to divide oven in thirds. Heat to 350°F. Coat three 9-in. round cake pans (see Tip, above) with nonstick spray. Line bottoms of pans with wax paper.

In a large bowl with mixer on low speed, beat first 3 ingredients until sugar dissolves. Add next 3 ingredients and beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in pecans. Spread in prepared pans.

Stagger pans on oven racks and bake 20 minutes (28 minutes in disposable pans), or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes before inverting on rack, removing paper and cooling completely.

Glaze: Heat 1/3 cup cream in a small saucepan or bowl in microwave just until steaming hot. Remove from heat and add chocolate; let stand 4 minutes. Stir until chocolate melts and blends with cream.

Mix reserved 1 Tbsp pudding and the 2 tsp cream. Spoon into small ziptop bag; seal bag.

To assemble: Thinly slice bananas. Put 1 cake layer on serving plate. Top with banana slices. Gently spread with half the pudding (about 1 cup). Repeat once; top with third layer.

Pour Glaze on top center; carefully spread to edges. Cut tip off corner of ziptop bag. Pipe parallel lines about 1/2 in. apart on glaze. Draw a toothpick through lines, alternating direction and wiping pick between strokes.