Happy New Year!!!

It's been too long my friends. Though December was not devoid of baking, in fact I probably baked the most last month, it was also the CrAzIeSt, busiest month for me work wise which means I never got to photograph any of it. Booooooo. Next year I will have to blog about the holiday rum cakelets I whipped up... seriously delicious. In the meantime it's time to look forward to the new year and by the new year I mean this cake.

The way I see it this cake has fruit in it so it's basically health food. You can totally stick to your guns about New Years resolutions and enjoy this cake. Maybe. Okay, maybe that's a lie but I am trying here. Blogging about the egg white breakfasts and broccoli I've been eating just isn't as pretty. Besides, every new year needs a little indulgence. 2016 is going to be bananas! I can taste it. Literally.

Did you make any resolutions for this year? Other than complaining less, I've got cooking more at home and running another 5k on my list. It's been just over a year since I've run one and Seamless has made eating take out far too easy... neither choice is favorable to my waistline. That being said, cooking more at home also includes baking. My favorite indulgence.

Fresh sliced bananas sandwiched between layers of dense, moist, and chocolatey banana cake with a cinnamon honey buttercream and crisp crushed chocolate covered honeycomb sprinkled on top. Phew; that's a mouthful. A mouthful of something I want to eat.

Brown Butter Banana Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 extra-large egg
1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 small ripe bananas, mushed
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted and browned
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350°F and butter two 9" cake pans. Set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or bowl and hand mixer) beat together egg and brown sugar until combined, or about two minutes. Add in sour cream, melted brown butter and milk and beat for another minute and then mix in vanilla and mushed bananas and blend for another two minutes. Slowly add in dry ingredients about 1/2 cup at a time until smooth. Remove bowl from the stand mixer and gently stir in the chocolate chunks. Pour batter into the prepared cake pans and bake at 350° for twenty to twenty five minutes or until top is lightly browned and cake is no longer "jiggly."

Let cake cool completely and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours before frosting.

Cinnamon Honey Buttercream and Topping

1 cup unsalted butter
1 lb confectioners sugar
1-2 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large banana, sliced
1 Crunchie bar, diced --optional

In a large bowl, beat unsalted butter with a hand mixer for three minutes until light and fluffy. Trust me it will get light and fluffy if you beat it long enough. Gradually add in confectioners sugar at a low speed until combined. You can add in one tablespoon of milk at a time to make sure that frosting has a smooth consistency. Finally add in vanilla, honey, and cinnamon. Whip for a final thirty seconds to finish.

Assembly:
Place first layer on your cake stand and liberally frost the top with buttercream. Add one layer of sliced banana across the frosting working from the outside round in. I fit about 1 and 1/2 of a small banana onto mine but a large would probably be just the perfect amount. holding the second layer of banana cake in your hand, gently and lightly coat the bottom of the layer with buttercream like your making a frosting sandwich for those banana slices. Mmmmm. Place the second layer on top and frost the top liberally with a frosting spatula. Spread a generous coat over the top and then lightly scrape remaining frosting around the outside of the layers. Top with a diced up Crunchie bar. Dig in! Happy New Year!