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

1. 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.
   
2. 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.
   
3. Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into batter.
   
4. 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.
   
5. 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.
   
6. 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.
   
7. 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.
   
8. 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.

Jon blowing out his birthday candles!

Happy 36th birthday babe! Man, glad I'm not as old as you are!

My Birthday Brownies!

Wow! Ok, it has seriously been a long time since I've posted anything here. My apologies (to ye few followers). I've been living the Summer diet of hot dogs, mac-n-cheese and cheeseburgers. Toss in some melon and a couple glasses of wine or beer and that's been my diet since the middle of June. Sounds healthy and delightful, doesn't it?

Part of that is because my family and I headed to my parents home in Michigan for a few weeks, where my sister and her family were also visiting. With a home full of 12 people and 4 dogs, the fastest, cheapest way to feed people was by bbq'ing some hot dogs and cheeseburgers. I'm good on those for a LONG while, btw....

When I finally did make it back to our home, it was basically just get what we need to get by on until the next payday (which wasn't too far off). But, I was bound and determined to use my summer free time to try out a bunch of new recipes, whether I thought my family would eat them or not! Thankfully, my guinea pigs are always willing to try something new, so for the last few weeks I've been cranking out different recipes for us all to try.

But, let's start with something FUN! My birthday brownies!

I had been thinking about what kind of cake I wanted to make myself for my 32nd (ah-hmm...) birthday and finally decided, 'you know what, I don't even WANT a cake! I want brownies!' So then I went on the made search for the perfect brownies to make. This is what I found!

Fudgy Salty Peanut Butter Brownies

Tell me that doesn't just sound and look divine! I wanted something better than a box mix and I had remembered how much I enjoyed Starbucks Salted Caramel Hot Chocolates, so I looked for something with the main ingredient being 'salted'. I'm telling you, these are the most delicious, richest, "OMG I just had a food orgasm" in my mouth brownies you'll ever have the pleasure of shoving in your face!

In other words - MAKE THEM! It'll be worth it in the end....

Fudgy Salted Peanut Butter Brownies

recipe courtsey Food Network

Ingredients

Decadent Brownies:

• 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, plus more, softened, for pan
• 1 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Peanut Butter Buttercream Layer:

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter(don't use old-fashioned or natural)
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/4 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups salted cocktail peanuts

Ganache:

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. 

For your brownie batter: 

Melt your butter in a medium (or large) heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. 

While the butter is melting, whisk the cocoa powder, sea salt and sugar in a separate bowl. (The sugar and salt will work as abrasive agents to get any lumps out of the cocoa.) Whisk the cocoa/sugar/salt combo into the melted butter until the sugar has dissolved fully. The mixture should look like fudge and pull away from the bowl into a ball. Take off the stove and set the pan on a dishtowel on your counter. Allow the fudgy mixture to cool down until it's warm, but not hot anymore.

While that is cooling, line the bottom and sides of your 9 by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil. You want to leave about 4 inches of overhang on the 2 opposite sides. These serve as your handles to remove the brownies from the pan in 1 piece, so make sure that there is enough of the overhang for you to have a solid grip. Grease the parchment or foil well.

Stir in the vanilla into the cooled fudge mixture to loosen it up. Add the eggs into the mixture 1 at a time, adding the second egg after the first egg is fully incorporated. The batter should look shiny and well blended. Add in your flour and stir it until it's fully incorporated. Once it looks fully blended, beat the batter vigorously for at least 45 strokes. This'll not only get out any pent up stress, but it will make the brownies chewy. Fold in your chocolate chips. Spread the very thick and fudgy brownie batter evenly in the lined pan with an offset spatula or your greased hands.

Pop the brownies in the oven and bake until they get a nice crust and your house smells like brownies, 30 to 35 minutes. Let them cool completely on a rack or a dishtowel on your counter.

While the brownies are cooling make the buttercream and ganache. 

For the buttercream: 

Mix your peanut butter and butter together in a stand mixer until they are totally blended. Turn your mixer down and slowly add your powdered sugar and fine sea salt. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Turn your mixer back to medium, add your milk and vanilla and keep mixing until it's fully blended. Dollop the peanut butter buttercream in heaping spoonfuls on top of the cooled brownies. Evenly spread it with the back of a butter knife the over the surface. Scatter the peanuts evenly over the buttercream, pressing into the buttercream so that the ganache has something to hold on to and the peanuts are all covered. 

For the ganache: 

Melt the chocolate chips and butter together in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Allow the ganache to cool down slightly for 10 minutes or so, then pour it evenly over the peanut butter buttercream layer. Smooth the ganache out with the back of a butter knife, making sure to cover the buttercream and peanuts completely. Chill the brownies in the refrigerator until the toppings are set, 1 1/2 hours or so.

Remove these delicious guys from the refrigerator. Lift up the ends of the foil liner and place the Fudgy Salty Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies on a cutting board. Cut into squares.