Bourbon Banana Cake with Bourbon Cream Cheese Buttercream
I wanted to make something cozy, sultry, and rustic. Something that suited my textured mountainous landscape outside. I’m feeling plaid flannel blankets, antlers, pine trees, a warm crackling fire, and a sky full of stars. I want a cake that tastes like a secluded cabin in the woods. Like a sip of whiskey after a long hike. Like a soft sheep skin rug on a worn hardwood floor.
Can this be a cake? I think so. Let’s make this happen.
Brown sugar, Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Bourbon, bananas, buttermilk, The Spice House ceylon cinnamon, and bourbon salted caramel. Yes, this is happening.
Hello bourbon banana cake with bourbon cream cheese buttercream, finished with salted bourbon caramel. I like you. I like you a lot.
Some notes on these flavors:
Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is a local favorite here in Wyoming. I’m a big fan. Of course any bourbon will do, but this particular bourbon is mountain made, so naturally, I think it tastes better.
I highly recommend using dark brown sugar. It has more molasses giving it a deeper, more caramel-like flavor.
Any cinnamon will do, but ceylon cinnamon, a favorite in Europe, has a subtle, intricate flavor that pairs well with fruit. It really highlights the banana flavor.
Store bought caramel is fine, but nothing compares to homemade. I strongly recommend making your own. You’ll make it again and again, I promise.
I prefer vanilla bean paste to vanilla extract because I like the little specs of ground vanilla bean. It’s a visual thing. But, I also feel the flavor is more pure. If you can’t find vanilla bean paste use pure vanilla extract.
If you can, always use kosher salt or sea salt, especially when making salted caramel. Their flavors are more subtle and refined. Table salt has a very harsh flavor, additives, and it’s significantly more salty.
This cake is what dreams are made of. You’ll take a bite and sigh… It goes down as one of my all time favorites.
Bourbon Banana Cake with Bourbon Cream Cheese Buttercream
Makes one four tiered 6” cake or one three tiered 8” cake
You’ll need:
3 large very ripe bananas, mashed well with a fork (about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups)
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (I use Ceylon Cinnamon from The Spice House)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1/4 cup Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey (my personal favorite, but any bourbon will do)
Make the cake:
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour four 6” cake pans and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium-high speed till light and fluffy. About 3 minutes.
With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stop to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the vanilla bean paste. Mix till combined.
Add the mashed bananas. Mix till combined. Scrape down the bowl.
With the mixer on low speed, add 1/2 of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the buttermilk. Mix for about 20 seconds, scraping down the bowl if needed. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients, followed by the remaining buttermilk, scraping down the bowl as needed.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the bourbon. Mix for about 30 seconds until combined. Do not overmix!
Pour the batter evenly among the pans. Bake on the center rack for about 24 to 26 minutes, or till a center tester comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, wrap in plastic and chill in the fridge for at least an hour to overnight. This makes frosting and layering easier.
Bourbon Cream Cheese Buttercream
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 oz (1 block) full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
5 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla bean extract
pinch of kosher salt to taste
With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.
Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating until smooth.
Mixing on slow speed, slowly add the vanilla, bourbon, and kosher salt to taste.
Mix on medium-high speed for 3 full minutes till light and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar if the frosting is too thin or a touch more bourbon if desired.
Homemade Bourbon Salted Caramel Sauce
Makes about 2 cups
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon water
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla bean paste pure vanilla bean extract
1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 tsp kosher salt or sea salt
2 tbsp Wyoming Whiskey Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey (optional)
On medium high heat, stir the sugar and water in a large sauce pan. Stir constantly till melted. The sugar liquifies, be patient.
Once all the sugar has dissolved, add the butter and vanilla. Continue stirring, being careful not to let the mixture burn.
Once the butter has melted, stir to combine completely and then remove from heat.
Add the salt, mix till combined.
With a whisk, slowly add the cream. Continue whisking till the mixture turns a golden brown.
Stir in the bourbon, if using.
Set aside and cool for 5 minutes. The sauce will begin to thicken. Refrigerate for 20 minutes till fully thickened and ready to use.
Assembly
Place one layer of chilled cake, flat side down, onto a serving plate or cake board. Top the layer with a heaping 1/2 cup of buttercream. Spread evenly to the edges.
Add a generous spoonful of salted caramel. Spread evenly over the frosting, leaving a 3/4” border around the edge. You don’t want the sauce to leak out of the cake layers.
Repeat the steps with remaining layers.
Add the final cake layer, flat side up.
Cover the entire cake with a thin layer of frosting to create a crumb coat. Chill the cake for 10 to 15 minutes.
Use the remaining buttercream to cover the entire cake. Chill for another 10 to 15 minutes before adding a caramel drip.
To add a salted caramel drip, reheat the remaining caramel for about 10 seconds. Stir. Allow the ganache to cool slightly, but make sure it’s a pourable consistency. You want it slightly warmer than room temperature. Using a large spoon, pour the salted caramel over the top of the chilled cake, allowing it to drip down over the sides.
Serve at room temperature. Cake can be made one day ahead, keep covered in fridge.