OLD-FASHION BANANA-HONEY CAKE

This recipe is so old my picture of it is an old black & white.

1 cup honey
1 tsp baking soda, divided
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas
1 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 pkgs (3-oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 firm ripe banana, sliced for garnish, if desired
lemon juice for dipping the banana slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and line 2 8-inch round cake pans; set aside.

Bring the honey to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

Pour the oats into a small bowl.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of the baking soda to the honey and pour over the oats.  Stir to blend well, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter adding sugar gradually; beat until light and fluffy.  Blend in the eggs.  Add the oatmeal and bananas and beat until blended well.

Sift the flour into the above mixture, add the salt, baking powder, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda; mix together well.  Divide evenly into the two prepared cake pans.

Bake cakes at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Place pans on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.  Remove cakes from the pans and cool completely on wire racks.

To make the filling/frosting, beat the cream cheese in a bowl until fluffy; add the confectioners' sugar and bueat until of a spreading consistency.

To assemble the cake, place 1 layer on a cake plate; top with half the filling/frosting.  Set second layer atop the filling and frost top with the remaining filling/frosting.  If desired, dip banana slices in the lemon juice to keep from discoloring and place in a decorative circle around the top of the cake.