roasted banana buttermilk cake with browned butter cream cheese icing

I am having one of those weeks.  You know, one of those weeks where you go to the market and stock up on all of your usual basics-- everything you should need: fresh fruit and veggies, bread, muffins, milk, eggs.  But then you bring it home and you're out of muffins by Tuesday, and you don't have anything to put on your bread to turn it into a tasty sandwich (banana sandwich, anyone? see below.), and you realize you already had a full carton of eggs in your fridge.  

So yes, it's been one of those weeks.  One of those months, really, where things just don't add up.  You have your good old stand-by ingredients, but nothing to turn them into something spectacular-- or even something remotely functional.  

It's kind of like how I finished college in three and a half years instead of four, while squeezing in five great internships.  But now that I'm done with college... no job.  It's not adding up, no matter how many nights I come home from a day at the farm store and apply to every single job I could remotely qualify for.  And then try stirring in the fact that I need to find a new apartment soon and just had to buy a new car... It's not the prettiest of batters.

I'm sorry... is this depressing?  I apologize.  The thing is, like with this roasted banana buttermilk cake with browned butter cream cheese icing (and yes, I did try to make the title as long as possible), sometimes you just need one or two more tiny ingredients to make something wonderful.  I'm not sure what those missing ingredients are in my life, but in this cake they were cream cheese and buttermilk.

Cream cheese.  And buttermilk.  So simple, right?  I probably should have had them on hand to begin with.  Who knew that, when added to the rest of my good old stand-bys, the results would be so good?

Okay, I won't lie.  This cake wasn't all I imagined it to be.  It was more like a dense, thin banana bread (not that I'm knocking banana bread!) than the light, fluffy cake I was striving for.  But the frosting was a revelation, and when I smoothed it on top of the "cake", the results were really good.  In an unexpected way.  Like life, I suppose.  Hmm..

So now I have this cake to remind me to keep trying, to tell me that something good is around the corner.  And you know what?  I just found out today I have a totally sweet job interview next week!  (...I think the cake may have worked.)

Roasted Banana Buttermilk Cake with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Icing

adapted from On My Plate

for the cake:

3 medium bananas, sliced

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter, chilled and cut into pieces

2 1/4 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  

Combine the bananas, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon butter in an 8" square baking dish.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through.  Cool slightly.

Reduce heat to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl.  Combine the banana mix with the buttermilk and vanilla in another bowl.  Place 1/2 cup butter and sugar in a third, large bowl and beat til well-blended.  Add the eggs and mix well.  (Can you believe I forgot eggs until just before putting it in the oven?!)  Alternate adding the flour mixture and the banana mixture all together.

Pour into a 9x13" lightly greased baking pan.  Bake for 20 minutes.

for the frosting:

1/4 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-3 tablespoons buttermilk

Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat, cooking til lightly browned (about 4 minutes).  Cool slightly.

Combine butter, sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla in a bowl and beat til smooth.  Add buttermilk to taste, and to reach the desired consistency of icing.  (I wanted a smooth, almost pourable icing, so I added a good amount.)

Spread over cooled cake.