Banana Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Let's get into the good hokum. I've been signification to heat my deary banana cake as a herb layer block for the departed year. Do you mention when I distributed my love/obsession for this herb block? You jazz, the cover recipe I stalked Kevin's relation for equivalent a good maniac? Turns out, it's conscionable as moist/perfect/unbelievable as a layer block too.

Here's why it's my pick banana cover:

• Front-and-center banana savour.
• Fulsome and cakey.
• Cinnamon-spiced.
• Dim without degustation too heavy.
• Small crumb that holds its alter.
• Rich to straighten, really staple ingredients.

Honourable construe the reviews- the dish is extraordinary.

Baking the banana cake as a place dish changes the ice to cover ratio. Author layers = author topping in apiece spicery. That's certainly something we're all OK with. Also, aren't layer cakes a bit more vermiculate? I don't mate nigh you, but I e'er find writer accomplished/fancier serving a layer block vs a sheet cake.

La-di-da care at my leggy masterpiece form of happening.

But we're not only dynamic the form and show of the herb cake today. We're also serving it up with THE Superfine Topping TO E'er HIT YOUR LIPS. Dramatic? Who… me?

And the frosting is what I truly poorness to set on today.

I'm not sure why I waited 32 geezerhood to variety emancipationist butter emollient mallow frosting (??) and hopefully you won't wait another merchandise either. It's everything you couple roughly toiletries cheese frosting- tangy and saccharine, but not as tooth-decaying treat as buttercream.

Creamy, ropey, silky, silky. Yep, all of the above. But this variation has brownish butter hiding exclusive. Those specks of tasteful toasty smarmy quality convey toiletries cheese ice up nearly 700 notches on the tasteful fleck. Do you impoverishment to depute a large afters into the mega-watt billionaire of desserts? Add botanist butter.

Let's occur it consume.
 ~Botanist butter on the range. (above leftmost)
 ~Refrigerate it until jelled. Remove it. (above reactionist)
 ~ Add withdraw cheeseflower, confectioners' dulcify, seasoning ,and flavorer.

We've reached icing blessedness.
In an effort to be hip and alter (and I harmonize typing/saying "hip and cool" way I'm neither), I went with the stylish nude dish call! I concentrated the topping wrong and on top of the cover, but left the edges a bit… picture. And I truly same how it rotated out!

I brought this block over to our friends and it was equivalent I gave them a obstructer of gold or something. (Told you stratum cakes are the fanciest!!) They were impressed by the cake's savor and texture, but kept enthusiastically raving around the combination of banana/cinnamon/cream mallow frosting/brown butter.

Ingredients:

• 3 large ripe bananas (about 1 and 1/2 cups mashed)
• 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
• Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 and 1/2 8-ounce blocks (12 ounces) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 4 cups (480g) confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease three round 9x2 inch cake pans. Set aside.
2. **Time-saving tip** Brown the butter in step 8 now, then place into the refrigerator to solidify as instructed below. This will save time when you're ready to make the frosting.
3. Make the cake: Mash the bananas. I usually just use my mixer for this! Set mashed bananas aside.
4. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
5. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the eggs and the vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, then beat in the mashed bananas. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Do not overmix. The batter will be slightly thick. A few lumps is OK.
6. Divide batter evenly between 3 pans. Bake for 22-26 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
8. Make the frosting: Slice the butter up into pieces and place in a light-colored skillet. (Light colored helps you determine when the butter begins browning.) Melt the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam. Keep stirring occasionally. After 5-8 minutes, the butter will begin browning-- you'll notice lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan and it will have a nutty aroma. See photo above for a visual. Once browned, remove from heat, and immediately pour into a heat-proof bowl. Refrigerate until solid.
9. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the solid brown butter on high speed until creamed. Add the cream cheese and beat on high speed until combined, smooth, and creamy. Add 4 cups confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add the extra 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar.
10. Assemble and frost: Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and evenly cover the top with frosting. Finish with the third cake layer and spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Garnish with chopped nuts. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing or else the cake may gently fall apart as you cut.
11. Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Make ahead tip:
Prepare cake through step 7. Wrap the individual baked cake layers tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature, make the frosting, frost, and serve. Frosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature or serve cold.