Banana Cake

Banana Cake
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c shortening (I use butter-flavored)
2 room temperature eggs, separated
3 over-ripe bananas, mashed
1 c buttermilk
1 t baking soda
2 1/4 c flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 t vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350* and lightly grease two 9" round pans.
2. Cream together sugar and shortening; add egg yolks and bananas and blend well. Set aside egg whites.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine buttermilk and baking soda. Be careful - this will expand quite a bit.
4. In another medium-sized bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add 1/3 of the wet mixture to the banana mixture, then 1/3 of the dry mixture. Repeat twice until both smaller bowls are empty; stir in vanilla.
6. In a small bowl, whisk egg whites until slightly stiffened; fold into batter.
7. Pour batter into pans and bake 35-45 minutes until cakes pass toothpick test.