Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

Thank goodness it’s Saturday. Let’s be honest, it’s been a long, tiring week. I don’t know about you, but I always struggle with the first week of the “spring forward” time change. Yes, I enjoy the longer daylight hours and yes, I delight in the warmer weather, but the loss of one of my precious hours of sleep? Now that’s a tough pill to swallow.

Every year as it creeps up on me I vow to be more prepared. I’ll go to sleep earlier and all will be well. I’ll have a quiet day on Sunday so I can run full steam on Monday. I say these things to myself but they never seem to happen and they never actually work. In fact, this time around I was so tired by Wednesday that my ten year old actually had to wake ME up to get everyone ready for school.

And so I relish in the fact that I finally made it to Saturday and slept in until a whopping 8:00am. I know that may not sound late to some, but as any mom of young children will tell you, that’s a small, savored miracle.

To celebrate the coming of spring and the survival of said time change, why not make a cake? I know you’re with me on this. I love this cake because it’s fairly straight forward to make and it tastes incredible. The browned butter makes it. Don’t question, just get baking.

Start out by creaming a little butter and sugar.

But why stop there? Add in some eggs, vanilla, bananas….. you get the idea.

Drop in a little flour and you have yourself a bowl of batter. Easy Peasy.

Bake said batter in the oven and above inevitably becomes below.

Now it’s time for the real magic to happen. Brown a little butter on the stove. I realize this can take a good 15 minutes of your time. Hear me now. IT’S WORTH IT. Browned butter takes regular old butter and kicks it to the curb without looking back. It’s better and it knows it. Holy heavens does it know it.

Cool it in the fridge and then beat it up with some confectioners sugar, vanilla and cream cheese. Spread and delight.

I hope you survived the time change and lived to tell the story. And if you’re still recovering and in need of a pick me up, rumor has it that banana cake is the perfect remedy.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

The perfect use for those pesky over ripe bananas sitting on your counter.

Author: Mommie Cooks

Serves: 1 9x13" Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake

11/2 Sticks Softened Unsalted Butter
⅓ Cup White Sugar
½ Cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
¼ Cup Whole Milk Plain Yogurt
4 Ripe Bananas
2 Cups Flour
11/2 tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Baking Soda
½ tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Salt

For the Frosting

11/2 Sticks Unsalted Butter
8 Oz. Cream cheese
1 tsp Vanilla
4 Cups (give or take) Confectioners Sugar

Instructions

To Make the Cake

Add the butter and the two sugars to a mixing bowl and cream until combined.
Add in the eggs, vanilla, yogurt and bananas. Beat until thoroughly mixed.
In a separate bowl combine all the dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Add the dry to the wet and mix until just combined.
Pour the mixture into a greased 9x13" pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.
Let cool completely.

To Make the Frosting

Add your butter to a small sauce pan and heat on medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter begins to brown and takes on a delicious nutty smell.*
Once the butter is browned, transfer it to a small container and let it cool in the refrigerator until it is at least room temperature; it took about 25 minutes or so for me.
Add the cooled butter to a mixing bowl along with the cream cheese and vanilla and beat.
Add in one cup of confectioners sugar. Slowly mix until incorporated and then whip.
Continue adding the sugar, one cup at a time until all has been added or the desired consistency and texture has been reached.
Spread on top of cooled cake and enjoy!

Notes

*Note that it can take as long as 15 to 20 minutes for your butter to brown on medium low heat.