I'm an odd duck I don't like chocolate and banana...

My preference is cream cheese frosting..or a brown sugar one.

But here's how I make chocolate frosting.

1/2 c butter, very soft
1/3-1/2 c cocoa
1-2 t vanilla
confectioner's sugar
milk, cream, half n half

Beat butter, add in cocoa and about 2 cups confectioners sugar. Beat well..add in vanilla...beat well..add in more sugar until it's a thick paste..add in enough milk til it's the spreading consistency you want.

Brown Sugar Frosting (tastes kinda like caramel)

FROSTING:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
6 tablespoons 2% milk
2-1/2 to 3 cups confectioners' sugar

For frosting, in a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cool to lukewarm.
Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency.

I use Nathalie Dupree's Mississippi Mud Cake/Bars when I need a chocolate frosting but usually that's only for Mud Bars since I'm not a big chocolate fan. I make one modification though, I usually add cinnamon since I think cinnamon and chocolate pair well.

I made a mistake one of the first times I made it. I used a 2# bag of powdered sugar rather than 1#. Came out thick like a fudge and I liked it. Got a lot of compliments on it too, bot on the bars and as a candy on its own. Similar to my mother's fudge but much, much easier.

Here's the original recipe:
Mississippi Mud Cake/Bars from Nathalie Dupree's New Southern Cooking
Cake/Bars
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Butter
4 each Eggs
1 1/2 cup Flour
1/2 cup Cocoa
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon Vanilla
1 cup Chopped pecans
Icing:
1 pound Powdered sugar
1/3 cup Cocoa
1 cup Butter, melted
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Pecans, chopped
2 tablespoons Milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13-inch pan. Cut a piece of waxed paper to fit the bottom of the pan and butter it. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the flour, cocoa, salt, vanilla and nuts, and beat again. Turn the batter into the pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack. When cool, remove cake from pan and peel off the waxed paper.

Icing: Sift the sugar and cocoa together. Beat in the melted butter, vanilla, pecans, and milk. When smooth, spread the icing over the cake. This cake is cracked and dry-looking, like Mississippi mud in the hot, dry summer. NEW SOUTHERN COOKING by Nathalie Dupree

Thanks for the frosting recipes -- I think I'll give each of them a try -- I really appreciate you taking the time to post and help me out!