2 1/3 c. sifted flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. mashed ripe bananas (2 med. size)
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. chopped walnuts

1. Grease two 9 x 1 1/2 inch layer cake pans. Dust lightly with flour, tap out excess flour.

2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon onto wax paper. Stir buttermilk into mashed bananas in a small bowl. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Beat butter, sugar and eggs in a large bowl with electric mixer for 3 minutes (finish mixing cake by hand).

4. Stir in flour mixture alternately with banana-milk mixture, beating after each addition, until butter is smooth. Stir in vanilla, 1/4 cup of the chopped nuts. Pour batter into prepared pans, smoothing with spatula.

5. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (350 degrees) for 30 minutes or until center springs back when lightly pressed with fingertips.

6. Cool layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; loosen edges with a knife, turn out onto wire racks, cool completely.

7. Put layers together with Rum Butter Cream Frosting and top with remaining frosting. Press remaining 1/2 cup chopped nuts on side of cake. Garnish top of cake with banana slices, if you wish. (Dip slices on orange or pineapple juice to keep them white).

RUM BUTTER CREAM FROSTING:

Beat 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter in a medium-size bowl with electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in 1 package (1 pound) 10X (confectioners') sugar alternately with 2 tablespoons rum and 2 tablespoons milk until smooth and spreadable (or substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons rum extract, 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 3 tablespoons milk for the rum and milk).