Chocolate Banana Cake

Chocolate Banana Cake
Yield: 14

4 bananas -- sliced
1 ounce chocolate -- melted

Cake:
3/4 cup butter -- softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
3 cups cake flour -- sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
4 ounces semisweet chocolate -- chopped
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas

White Chocolate Icing;
3 cups whipping cream
10 ounces white chocolate -- chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla

Dark Chocolate Ganache:
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate -- chopped

CAKE:
In bowl, cream butter with sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Beat in sour cream. Combine flour, baking soda and chocolate; add in 3 additions to creamed mixture alternately with 2 additions of mashed bananas, mixing just until flour is incorporated. Spoon into 2 greased 8-1/2 inch springform pans, smoothing tops.
Bake in 350¡ F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until tops spring back when touched. Let cool on rack for 20 minutes. Remove sides of pans; let cool completely.

WHITE CHOCOLATE ICING:
In saucepan, bring half of the cream to boil; pour over chocolate in bowl, whisking until melted. Add vanilla. Refrigerate until chilled, 1 hour, whisking often. On medium speed, beat chocolate mixture just until ridges hold shape. Beat remaining cream just until soft peaks form; gently fold into chocolate mixture. With serrated knife, slice cakes in half horizontally. Place a top layer, cut side up, on plate. Spread top with 3/4 cup icing; cover with single layer of bananas, leaving 1/2 inch border. Cover with 1 bottom cake layer, cut side down; repeat with icing and bananas. Repeat with remaining top layer, cut side up, and some of the icing and bananas. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Using palette knife, cover cake smoothly with remaining icing. To ensure a smooth finish to the icing, wipe the knife often with a damp cloth. Refrigerate until firm, about 1-1/2 hours.