Posted by Annette 12/6/2001 12:26 pm

Makes 12 servings.

Vegetable spray, for cake pan
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk
3 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
1 cup chocolate chips, for chocolate leaf garnish
1 teaspoon Crisco shortening, for chocolate leaf garnish
About 10 unblemished camellia leaves (or other small firm
    leaves), washed and dried, for chocolate leaf garnish
About 3 1/2 tablespoons Kahla
1 (16 ounce) box powdered sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
2 (1 ounce) envelopes pre-melted chocolate (or 2 1-ounce
    squares semisweet baking chocolate, melted)
About 1/4 cup milk
About 1 1/4 cups walnut pieces
Fresh attractive flower(s) and greens, for garnishing cake
    and serving tray

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 12 x 4 x 3-inch loaf pan (or pate terrine) with vegetable spray; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.

In another bowl, blend bananas with eggs, oil, buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and thoroughly mix with flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until top of cake is well-browned and bounces back when lightly pressed, about one hour and 10 minutes. Let cake cool, remove from pan, and wrap loosely in aluminum foil; refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Ninety minutes before assembling cake (or up to two days ahead), heat chocolate chips with Crisco in top of double boiler until melted, stirring often. Using back of a spoon, coat undersides of camellia leaves with chocolate, and place leaves chocolate-side-up on a plate; refrigerate one hour, then gently peel leaves away from chocolate, starting at stem end. Cover well and refrigerate until ready to use.

To finish cake, cut cake horizontally into three equal layers; drizzle Kahla evenly over all. In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat together until smooth the powdered sugar, butter, melted chocolate, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and enough milk to make icing of spreading consistency. Place one cake layer on a serving platter and ice; add second layer and ice. Add third layer and ice top and sides with remaining icing. Press walnuts into sides of cake, and place cake on a serving tray. Garnish cake top with two clusters of chocolate leaves and a flower in center. Decorate tray with more flowers and/or greens. Refrigerate leftovers.