Banana Rum Cake with Browned Butter Icing

A deliciously moist banana cake with a hint of rum, with a rich browned butter rummy frosting.

Browned butter? You say what?! Please let me introduce you....it will change your life, or at least your cake. It adds a nutty, almost caramel flavour.  The rum adds a pleasant kick.

Can you see the delicious brown butter flecks?!

My first or possibly second piece...

The original recipe is for a two layer round cake, but I opted for a single layer, iced only on the top, and it was plenty rich enough for the two of us!                              



I used 3 bananas, 2 eggs, and only 3/4 cup of brown sugar for the cake. The rest of the recipe I halved. The sugar in the icing more than makes up for using less sugar in the cake itself. I also used 5% cream in place of the heavy cream and only a splash or two to get the right consistency.

Here is the original recipe from Joy the Baker cookbook.  (I adore Joy, I have tried many of her recipes, and they never ever disappoint. You can buy her cookbook on amazon.)

Banana Rum Cake with Brown Butter Frosting         
Preheat the oven to 350 
3 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/4 cup mashed bananas (about 4 medium)
3 Tbsp rum
3 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp buttermilk

For the Brown Butter Frosting:
3/4 cup salted butter
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp rum
1/2 cup heavy cream

• Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.  Set aside.
• In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and brown sugar.  Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Add mashed bananas and rum and blend for another minute, until thoroughly combined.  Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating for 1 minute between each addition.
• With the mixer on low speed, add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture.  Add the buttermilk and beat on low until the mixture just begins to come together.  Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until the mixture is almost entirely incorporated.  Remove the bowl from the mixer and finish blending the ingredients with a spatula.  Fold in the pecans.
• Divide the batter between the cake pans.  Bake for 30 minutes on alternating racks, switching the cakes halfway through baking.  When a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven.  Let cakes rest in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
• To make the Brown Butter Frosting: in a medium saucepan over medium heat melt butter until browned in color and nutty in fragrance.  Pour browned butter into a small bowl to cool.  The browned bits will add color and character to the frosting.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add powdered sugar, turn mixer on low, and add brown butter in a stream.  Increase speed to medium and add vanilla and rum.  Beat for 2 minutes.  Reduce speed to low, and slowly add cream.  Increase speed to medium and beat until smooth and creamy.  If the mixture is too thick, add a touch of cream.  If the mixture is too thin, add a touch more powdered sugar.  Spread between the layers and on top and sides of cake.