Peanut Butter and Banana, Anyone?

Banana cake is comfort, tender, moist, and familiar, it is always a crowd-pleaser.  For me it takes me back to my Minnie Mouse birthday party.  It was probably my fifth or sixth birthday so I don't remember much about the party.  But I do remember the banana cake made in the shape of Minnie, and decorated to complement.  The cake was so delicious that in my ravenous I dropped some on the dining rug, the stain is there to this day to prove it.

It is that cake I've been trying to replicate.  I think I've finally got it.  Instead of vegetable oil I use browned butter which adds richness and depth of flavor.  The other trick is plenty of bananas and brown sugar.  It is, in my opinion, the best banana cake.  Too tender to be layered.

This time I decided to play with the classic peanut butter and banana combination, and topped the cake with peanut butter icing.  Mostly butter and peanut butter with a little confectioner's sugar, the icing was airy yet rich.  The peanut butter played nicely with the nuttiness of the brown butter, and was perfectly reminiscent of the sandwich.  The ultimate in banana cake cum comfort food.