The frosting is very thick and has a creamy fudge-like consistency. It is best just to spoon a dollop on the top rather than trying to spread it. You wouldn’t believe how amazing the house smells while these are baking.

Oh, as with all things banana, the more ripe the banana the more flavor you will get from this. The cake itself is not intensely sweet but it is a good backdrop to the penuche. The cake is moist and a little sticky, with flavors of sweet banana and rum. The penuche is intensely sweet with a rich flavor and texture. The whole package is about as addictive as a cupcake can get – at least they didn’t last long here.

Of the cupcakes I have made  I think these and the Red Velvet and Cheesecake Marble are my two favorites.

Browned Butter Banana Rum Cupcakes

Makes 16

• 2 cups of flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp rum flavoring or substitute  1/4 cup of the milk with 1/4 cup of rum
• 1 cup milk
• 2 ripe bananas mashed

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325, place cupcake liners in muffin tins
2. Mix dry ingredients and set aside
3. Heat butter on the stove until it melts, stirring constantly. Continue to stir and cook until it becomes a dark golden brown. Strain and cool
4. Mix eggs and sugar until well blended
5. Add browned butter and beat until smooth
6. Add vanilla and rum flavoring
7. Beat in the banana
8. Add the flour in three parts, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the flour
9. Spoon into muffin tins and bake until done, about 20 minutes
10. Cool and frost with Browned Butter Penuche Frosting

Browned Butter Penuche Frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• About 1/4 cup buttermilk, heated
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
• 1 cup coconut

1. Melt butter in pan until it becomes a golden brown
2. Add brown sugar and stir until sugar melts and mixture comes to a boil
3. Remove from heat
4. Stir in hot buttermilk until smooth
5. Let cool
6. Beat in confectioners sugar and vanilla until smooth
7. Stir in coconut and pecans, use a little more buttermilk or confectioners to get the right consistency
8. Add a spoonful to the top of each cupcake and press in a pecan half. Sprinkle with coconut

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Image: Morguefile 

Buttercream is a luscious frosting, but if you are making your own wedding cake I would not suggest using it. Why?

Buttercream has alot of butter (duh!) and if you use it you must keep it refrigerated until just before the reception unless the building is very cool. While confectioners icing made with crisco is not as delicious, it is temperature friendly and you can set the cake up and not worry about it. In fact, you could set the whole thing up in the reception hall the night before the ceremony, and only check on it to make sure everything was still o.k. and your best friend’s cousin’s nephew didn’t run his hot wheels cars through it.

The confectioner’s frosting is also easy to decorate with, takes colors well, and holds it’s shape. Again, you can make your own wedding cake but you really aren’t going to want to take a lot of chances with it.

The best icing recipe I have found for wedding cakes is this one:

1 c crisco

1 tsp clear vanilla extract

1/2 tsp butter extract

1/4 tsp almond

1 lb confectioners

2 tbs cream

Mix the crisco and flavorings. Add the confectioners one cup at a time. Stop to scrape sides and bottom of bowl once in awhile. When all the sugar is mixed in the icing will be dry looking. Add cream, a little at a time, until you achieve the correct consistency. You want it to be slightly stiff.

3 cups

You can vary the flavors easily by adjusting the flavorings. Remember that if the flavoring has a color to it the frosting will not be totally white.

Review

Wedding Cakes Part 1

Wedding Cakes Part 2

Wedding Cakes Part 3

Wedding Cakes Part 4

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There is no real trick to making them. You want the dough to be softer, and I don’t punch it down after the first rising. I just roll it out gently..it seems to make for bigger, fluffier rolls. Also using milk rather than water and adding egg will make for a richer roll. Adding a teaspoon of vanilla or maple will add flavor as well, although it isn’t called for in the recipe.

Cinnamon Rolls

Makes about 18 big rolls

3 /4 c warm milk

1/2 c melted butter

1/2 c sugar

1 tsp salt

2 pkgs active dry yeast

1/2 c warm water

4 1/4- 5 cups of flour

2 eggs, room temp

sprinkle yeast onto warm water with a tsp of sugar added to it. Stir to dissolve. Let set a few minutes until bubbly. Add milk, butter, salt,and eggs. Beat well. Now begin adding flour until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough. Knead for about 5 minutes, oil , and let rise until double, about an hour.

Meanwhile make filling:

1 c brown sugar

2 Tbs cinnamon

1/4 c melted butter

Mix sugar and cinnamon..taste and adjust flavor with more or less cinnamon. Brush dough with melted butter and then spread with sugar mixture. Roll like a jelly roll, pinching edges to seal. cut in thick slices and place cut side down in 13x 9″ pans that have been well buttered. Let rise for about 30 to 40 minutes. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare icing.

Mix 1/4 c melted butter, 1 tsp vanilla and a pinch of salt with enough confectioner’s sugar to make a thick icing. Spread on warm rolls and top with chopped pecans if desired.

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