1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare two 9 inch cake pans by greasing bottom and sides of pans. Place parchment in bottom of each pan, then grease the top and dust lightly with flour. Set aside.
3. Place flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Fork sift ingredients, then set aside for later use.
4. In stand mixer, with large bowl fitted with paddle attachment (or electric hand mixer), cream butter until soft and fluffy. Add sugar, vanilla and maple extracts, beating until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. In separate bowl, add mashed bananas and stir in baking soda. Stir banana/baking soda mixture into the cake batter.
6. Add half of the sifted flour mixture into the cake batter, beating well over medium-low speed. Gradually beat in all of the buttermilk.
7. Mix the remaining flour into the batter, increase the mixer speed, and beat until smooth.
8. Divide batter evenly into two 9 inch prepared cake pans. Bake approximately 35-40 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched in the center.
9. Cool cake pans on a wire rack just until very warm, unmold the cakes, and finish cooling them on the wire rack.
10. Once cool, split each cake layer into two.
11. Fill and frost the cake with my Maple Buttercream Frosting Recipe.
