do you have black bananas?

I did. And so I made this. I'm not a banana bread person. I'm guilty of throwing our bananas away the minute they get brown speckles. But I do have a thing for oats. I love to see oats in a recipe. They make me feel like I'm making something that is healthy which I never am. But the oats are attractive (crisps, crumble toppings, oatmeal cookies, mmm.) So I knew I'd like this recipe and sure enough, it didn't let me down! Try it next time you have some black (or brown) bananas! I'd take this over banana bread any day!

P.S. it's really good warm and would be even better with butter pecan ice cream on the side as a delectable dessert!

Oatmeal Banana Cake
serves 8-10
1 cube butter, room temp.
3/4 C brown sugar
2 eggs
2 large very ripe bananas, mashed
1 t vanilla
zest of 1/2 lemon
3/4 C flour
1 C oats
1/4 t salt
1 t baking soda

Topping:
3/4 C oats
1/3 C brown sugar
zest of 1/2 lemon
1/2 t cinnamon
1 T flour
1/3 C chopped pecans
4 T melted butter

Preheat to 350. Butter and flour 9" springform pan.
For cake, cream butter and sugar, add egg one at a time, then banana and vanilla. Stir in dry ingred. Pour into pan. Mix topping and spread over top of cake pressing down gently. Bake 30-35 mintutes. Cool, run knife around edge of pan, release cake ring. Serve warm, you'll eat more!