Looking for: A good Red Velvet Cake recipe ... also a good banana cake/loaf recipe--

I was reading through Ina Garten's cookbook, How Easy Is That, when I came across her recipe for Red Velvet Cupcake --

It was not something on my checklist of things to make/bake -- but, now it is --

Seth really loves the Red Velvet Cupcakes served at Dulgies (especially the cream cheese frosting) --

When I was browsing through websites for recipes, I found several very good ones -- but my main problem is, how to incorporate the best of all the recipes to make one very delicious cake/cupcake --

On Allrecipes.com, this cake got 4 out of 5 stars and had the most reviews:
Red Velvet Cake I

My problem with this recipe is the use of shortening and I feel there's too little cocoa powder (I know, I know -- it's not supposed to be a chocolate cake.)

Bakerella's recipe uses oil -- quite a bit of it, actually.  Bakerella's Red Velvet Cake

(Her cake looks so, so pretty!)

I'm also having problems committing to a single good Banana Cake/Loaf recipe --

My mom just dropped off a bunch of bananas and they're getting overripe quickly (low on the list of priority fruits to eat -- we have lychees, papaya and avocado in the house right now -- no, the kids don't like any of them.)

So the helpers and I agreed to transform dying bananas into an edible other form --

Johann has asked it to be made into the Chocolate Banana Cake, which was lovely -- and a big hit with the entire household -- but I think I want to try my hand at making just a banana cake -- one where I can put chocolate chips ...

... And have cream cheese frosting. ^_^

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Update on my sewing machine --

I called up 2go and the ETA for the boat is Wednesday so I'll be able to pick up my new toy on Thursday ... hopefully.