Best Ever Banana Cake

Ingredients
3/4 cup butter
2 1/8 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (or plain or

vanilla yogurt)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
chopped walnut

Directions
Preheat oven to 275°.
Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan.
In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice; set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 cups sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla.
Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
Stir in banana mixture.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.
Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes.
This will make the cake very moist.
For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
Beat in 1 tsp vanilla.
Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth.
Spread on cooled cake.
Sprinkle chopped walnuts over top of the frosting, if desired.

"The 4th of July is the BEST!"

I'm elated because Lauri is finally home from the High School mission trip. This year she took the kids to California and form the sounds of it I think they had a great time. Next time you see her, you'll have to ask her about it.

It's quite amazing that at the end of the day Lauri is still such a positive person to be around. She is such an inspiration to me and I don't know where my life would be without her. She brings me up everyday and reminds me that God is all around and cheering me on.

The mission trip always seems to fall over the 4th of July. So I don't think we have actually ever spent the holiday together. However, I had the privilege to spent time with Leslie and the girls and their cousin Tate on the 3rd. We went swimming and had a great time. I made Jada jump in with me and I don't know if she's forgiven me yet but it sure was fun. She sat on my lap at the fireworks that night and told me that she wished the everyday was the 4th of July because it was so beautiful to see the fireworks. I'd have to say that I couldn't agree more.