The Hammie Gourmet: Banana Bourbon Layer Cake

Most of you know that us Hammie's, especially Jon and I like to torture each other by having our birthdays and anniversary all within the span of 5 days. First it's my birthday, followed 2 days later by our Anniversary, and finally 2 days later, it's Jon's birthday. At the time, I think we thought it'd be a GREAT idea to cram all that together.But 10 years later...I sometimes think it's a bit too much. What's wrong with having a wedding anniversary in say....March? April? Nooooo...we have to shove as many celebrations into one month as possible! lol (Not to mention that our youngest, Jack's birthday is ALSO in July. Poor planning or suckers for punishment? You decide.)

BUT in any case, since I had made those Fudgy Salty Peanut Butter Brownies for my birthday (which were still left over for dessert on our anniversary), I had decided that Jon was getting a birthday CAKE. Whether he liked it or not! I started looking for something unique. Something that doesn't necessarily scream birthday cake. While flipping through the many pages of different recipe websites, I came across the perfect recipe for him!

He has ALWAYS loved Banana Foster and this was like a mad, beautiful mix of cake-bananan-high proof liquor that dreams are made of!

Banana Bourbon Layer Cake!
recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, separated
2 to 3 ripe bananas, enough to make 1 cup mashed
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
3 bananas, not too ripe
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons dark-brown sugar
3/4 cup bourbon

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg yolks one at a time. In another bowl, mash bananas, and combine with buttermilk and vanilla. Add alternately to butter mixture with flour mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into batter.
Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
When cake layers are cool, whip cream with confectioners sugar until stiff. Fold in sour cream. Place a cake layer on a plate, and spread with filling to within 1 inch of edge. Place other layer on top, and press down lightly. Chill for 1 hour.
Slice bananas 1/2 inch thick. Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. When it sizzles, add slices in a single layer. Sprinkle with sugar. When golden brown, turn slices; cook until brown on other side.
Carefully pour in bourbon (using a measuring cup, never the bottle) and ignite with a match. Cook until flames die down, shaking the pan to toss bananas in syrup. Remove from heat.
Arrange banana slices on top of cake. Pour remaining syrup over cake, letting it drip down sides. Serve immediately!

*Prepare the sliced-banana topping just before serving.

Look closely, this was my very first attempt at Flambé -ing something! So happy to report that I didn't set anything on fire - mainly me!

The cake definitely had a nice strong banana flavor and if I could of changed anything, I would of cooked the bourbon-banana mixture a little bit longer to tone down the strong hit of alcohol flavor and I would of flavored the whipped cream mixture a bit more (made it sweeter) that went in between the layers.