The Best Ever Banana Cake

So, I was in charge of bringing cake for my friend's birthday.  Ever since I've known her she has sung about banana cake.  Yes, her and banana cake are in a deep, meaningful relationship.  And so, even though I could have bought a perfectly edible banana cake from an awesome cake store, I thought I'd brave my months of bake-break and create one for my lovely friend.  I had scrapped a few banana cake recipes but they weren't good enough so I went a-searching for the perfect cake.  I stumbled upon the below and it was an absolute winner.  Friends who said they weren't banana cake fans were gushing over it and a guy who's never baked in his life asked for the recipe.  
So, here it is from me.  to you.  

The Best Ever Banana Cake
adapted from My Baking Addiction who adapted it from Recipezaar

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C bananas, mashed, ripe
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 3 C flour (I used all-purpose)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 C butter, softened, room temp
• 2 1/8 C sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temp
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 C buttermilk, room temp

Frosting

• 1/2 c butter, softened
• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 1/2 C confectioners' sugar

Directions

• Preheat oven to 275 deg F (150 deg C).  Greese and flour a 9X13 pan.
• In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice.  set aside
• In a medium bow, mix flour, baking soda and slat.  set aside
• In a large bowl, cream 3/4 C butter and 2 1/8 C sugar until light and fluffy (this'll look like crumbs).  Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla
• Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.  Stir in banana mixture
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes.  This will make the cake very moist.  (And folks, this works!!!!)
• Frosting:
• Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth.  Beat in 1 tsp vanilla.  Add icing sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth.  
• Spread on cooled cake.  

PS - there's a bit of a discrepancy in the pictures.  i baked TWO banana cakes.  one was square, the other one was round.  both delicious! ;)