Bananas and Cream Pound Cake

Yesterday was a great day!  I spent most of it cooking,  a little bit reading, went to church and had supper with part of my family.  What could be better?  (only more of my family!)

I wanted to try out this banana desert---Bananas and Cream Pound Cake--that I found on the Taste of Home site.  (click on that link to see how good it can really look!)

The dessert was great, my pictures? Well, they don't look anything like the ones on the Taste of Home site.   Go figure?  I never said I was a photographer!
My pudding layer was creamier than it should have been---like falling down over the pound cake and bananas.  
Granted, it doesn't make for a great photograph, BUT it does make for a mouthful of wonderful.
And that's the whole point, isn't it?

The pound cake layer was so good---one can never go wrong with pound cake.  I love pound cake.  Layer that with some bananas and put pudding on top!
Everyone loved it.
Can't wait to share it with my friend April, who brings Southern 'banana pudding' to all kinds of gatherings.
Some of us Westerners do not appreciate banana pudding type of desserts as much as we should---but I know she will.

Oh....and the pillow cases, which say Mr. and Mrs.?   I found them in an old cedar chest while cleaning out at my parents house a few weeks ago.   I am pretty sure they were embroidered by my great-grandmother for my mother's wedding gift.  I am going to put them on the pillows in my guest room.

And let no one lay their heads upon them EVER. (laughing)  Embroidered things start to come apart once they are  used often.  Have you ever noticed that?  Washing, etc.  Just causes them to un-embroider.
Does anyone hand embroider anymore?  Is it an old-fashioned thing? 
When I was little we would spend our money on embroider hoops that you could get at the local drugstore.   It was the 'thing' to do, when I was 9 years old. 
I have never done it since.  You?


Back to the dessert---the only  thing I might ever do different is use a banana pudding in lieu of the French Vanilla---just to make it more banana tasting.  Maybe....cuz it's good just as it is.

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition just until combined.
2. Transfer to a greased and floured 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 325° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth; fold in pudding. Fold in 3-1/2 cups whipped topping.
4. Cut cake into eight slices; arrange on bottom of an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. dish, trimming to fit as necessary. Slice bananas; arrange over cake. Spread pudding mixture over top. Refrigerate, covered, for 3 hours. Serve with remaining whipped topping. Yield: 15 servings.

Picture courtesy of Taste of Home

(but it should really look like this)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 1-1/2 cups sugar

• 3 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 cup buttermilk

• LAYERS:

• 2 cups 2% milk

• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant French vanilla pudding mix

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

• 1 package (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

• 5 medium ripe bananas

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