Banana Cake With Fudge Frosting

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8" round cake pan. Line bottoms with waxed paper; grease paper. Dust pans with flour.

In small bowl, mix bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. On waxed paper, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat sugar with margarine or butter 5 minutes or until light and creamy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat just until blended, occasionally scraping bowl. With spoon, stir in chocolate chips.

Spoon batter into pans and spread evenly. Stagger pans on 2 oven racks, so layers are not directly above another. Bake 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center of each layer comes out clean. Cool layers in pans on wire rack 10 minutes.

Run small metal spatula or knife around edges of pans to loosen layers; invert onto wire racks and remove waxed paper. Cool layers completely.

Meanwhile, prepare Fudge Frosting: In 2-quart saucepan, with wire whisk, mix sugar, flour and cocoa. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Cook milk mixture over medium heat until mixture thickens and boils, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat; cool completely. In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat margarine or butter until creamy. gradually beat in cooled milk mixture, melted chocolate and vanilla until evenly blended and a creamy spreading consistency.

Assemble Cake: Place 1 cake layer, rounded side down, on cake plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with second cake layer, spread with another 1/2 cup frosting, then top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and side of cake with remaining frosting.

Refrigerate if not serving right away. If cake is very cold, let stand at room temperature 20 minutes before serving to allow frosting to soften slightly.