Brownie-Bottom Banana Cake [with Brown Sugar Frosting]

Question: What's more fun than dressing in neon and dancing to 80's music ALL NIGHT LONG? Not much. But I'd say eating this cake is pretty fun too.

This weekend my sister finished her graduate program; and, in celebration, she got a group of friends together to go to The Legwarmers (the ultimate 80's cover band) concert and requested I make her a "chocolate-banana-honey" cake. She made this cake up, so I made the recipe up...kind-of-sort-of. I took inspiration from these babies (via How Sweet It Is).

Also, I should note that I made this cake at 6AM Friday morning because I was planning on leaving for Richmond right after work. Waking up early to bake for someone is true love. I don't sacrifice sleep for much.

In the midst of getting ready for work, I managed to over-cook the cake slightly. It emerged from my window-less oven totally brown and with one side of the banana cake breaking free, no doubt trying to save itself from a crispy death. I'm happy to report, this extreme deformity became more subtle as it cooled. Not that it really mattered, since I topped it with a layer of brown sugar fluffiness!

From the samples I stole (read: the ugly edges), this cake was fairly close to how I hoped it would turn out: a very banana-y soft cake with a chewy brownie bottom---a nice break from the typical banana bread. My main personal feedback has to do with the brown sugar frosting, which I admit to making up on the fly. If I had REALLY thought about it, I may have subbed in a teaspoon or so of molasses in place of using actual brown sugar. The graininess was a bit bothersome, which was sad since I love brown sugar so dearly!

...Picture parade...

...yum yum...

I sliced the cake at Boyfriend's "apartment"; didn't you notice to awesome lighting and dark granite countertop? Seriously, this kitchen is wasted on that boy...so new and beautiful. 

Maybe one day he'll stop eating store-bought fried chicken and hot pockets for every meal.

Brownie-Bottom Banana Cake 

with Brown Sugar Frosting

Inspired by How Sweet It Is

Servings: 12 squares

Brownie Bottom
1 1/2 tablespoons, plus 1/3 cup warm water
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup butter
2-3 teaspoons amaretto or rum
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray an 8x8 baking pan with nonstick baking spray.

• In a small bowl or cup, whisk together flaxseed meal and water; let sit. In the meantime, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter, chocolate chips, and cocoa powder by microwaving for 20-30 second increments and stirring until smooth.

• In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.

• Transfer flax mixture to a large bowl; beat in sugar. Add melted chocolate and still until well combined. 

• Add flour mixture and stir until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Banana Cake
1/2 cup, plus 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
1 egg
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons margarine, melted

• Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, mixed together egg and sugar until smooth; add vanilla, followed by the Greek yogurt and melted margarine. 

• Once combined, stir in the dry ingredients. Lastly, add the mashed bananas and stir until just mixed together.

...And I MAY have worn
something like this to the concert.

• Pour batter on top of brownie batter, bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Brown Sugar Frosting
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon marshmallow fluff
2 tablespoons shaved dark chocolate

• With a hand-held mixer, blend together butter, sugars, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk until fluff. Add more milk, as necessary. Mix on high for 1-2 minutes or until fluffy. 

• Stir in marshmallow fluff and shaved chocolate until combined. Frost top of cooled cake.