Banana cake with chocolate frosting

I had this idea to make a "half" cake for Julia's half birthday.  The problem was that it didn't turn out picture-perfect.  The cake was also just barely cooked through and the frosting didn't whip up very well (I need to let the butter soften to room temperature next time.)  So all in all, I'll just make bread or muffins out of ripe bananas....

Banana cake
1/3 cup oil
1 cup sugar or 3/4 cup honey
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup banana (3 mashed, ripe bananas)
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
2 cups wheat flour {I used 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup pastry wheat}
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Mix together oil, sugar, egg and vanilla.  {Stir mashed bananas with baking soda}; add other ingredients into batter.  Pour into a greased 9-inch round pan or 9x13 cake pan.  Wait five minutes before putting in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.

Chocolate frosting

1 stick butter
3 cups powder sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together until desired consistency. {I halved this recipe.}

Recipe sources:

• Merrill Jane P. and Karen M. Sunderland.  "Banana Cake". Set for Life.  Salt Lake City, UT: Sunset Publishers, 1995. 249.

• Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Can: chocolate frosting