This recipe was made in dedication to my mom, Ella (nicknamed Lalou). Happy birthday to one of the bravest and most independent women I know!

My mom suffers from hypertension (high blood pressure) so she has to be cautious with her diet because it could elevate her blood pressure. For her birthday, I wanted to give her a thoughtful gift, and that is when “Lalou’s cake” was created. It consists of a banana bread base, buttercream frosting, and fruit to add more color.  If you are looking for a recipe that consists of low sodium and sugar, or if you just want a healthy treat, this is the recipe for you.

Ingredients

Banana Bread:

6 bananas

1 cup sour cream 

3½ cup flour 

½  tsp salt 

2 tbsp vanilla extract

4 eggs 

1 cup brown sugar 

2 tbsp lime zest 

½ cup butter

Cream cheese frosting:

8 oz cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

½ tsp salt 

Fruit:

Bananas

1 box strawberries 

Directions for the cake: 

First, preheat your oven to 350°F, and grease two 6 inch by 2 inch cake pans. Crush your bananas and put it aside for later. Melt half a cup of butter and put it aside as well. Pour the sugar, the butter, the eggs, and the vanilla in a large bowl, and mix well. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt into the butter mixture and whisk until smooth. Finally, fold in the sour cream, the mashed banana, and the lime zest. After giving it one last stir, pour it in your prepared cake pans and bake for 1 hour. Let them cool for 15-20 mins before applying the frosting.

Directions for the frosting:

In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese and butter, and mix with an electric mixer or whisk until creamy. Then, add the vanilla extract and salt and mix until combined. 

Enjoy!