New Abbey Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

You guys know my beer story, but I’ve got yet another for you to marvel at.

Not too long ago Nate and I had the following conversation:

Me: Hey babe!  Guess what?  You are going to love me!

Nate:  I already do love you.

Me:  Well duh.  But you’re going to love me more!  Guess who is getting to make something with New Belgium beers for Foodbuzz?!

Nate:  Um…I guess you do.

Me:  YES!!!  Aren’t you SO EXCITED?!  I’m the best wife ever, right?!

Nate:  Yep, you are.  I’m going inside…it’s cold out here.

Me:  Uh, ok.

Yes, yes it’s true.  I am the best wife ever.  And I did get a chance to create a recipe using New Belgium beer from Foodbuzz.  And – this one’s a shocker – the recipe calls for BANANAS!!!  The first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem, right?  Well, I have admitted multiple times about my banana-buying-binges, and yet no recovery.  Sigh.  I suppose you have to start somewhere, and overbuying bananas is certainly not the worst thing in the world.  I could be getting into a lot more trouble like the time that my roommate in college made muffins and forgot they were in the oven, burned them black, and then we threw them at our neighbor’s door.

Now that’s some trouble I can (and did) get down with.  Straight-A student by day, muffin-hurling hooligan by night.  I am a walking conundrum.

Anyway, back to New Belgium.  I knew that I wanted to do something other than their classic (yet delicious) 1554 or Fat Tire beers.  I wanted something I hadn’t heard Nate order a million times in restaurants.  I wanted something that I could make something awesome with…and that’s when I saw the New Abbey Belgian Style Ale.  Done and done.

Do you guys remember when I made chocolate stout cake for the Foodbuzz Next Food Blog Star?  That cake is very much the most amazing cake I’ve ever had or made.  Sure, cake mixes are great, but there’s nothing like boiling 2 sticks of butter with beer and other flavors.  As Nate said, and regardless of the consequences, I want to drink that.  Holy heaven it’s a good cake.  Combine the urge to make a ridiculous cake like that and my mounding heap of bananas, and you have New Abbey Banana Cake.  Because what’s cake without a little extra beer?

NEW ABBEY BANANA CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

(based on this recipe from SmittenKitchen)

• 2 sticks of butter
• 1 cup New Belgium New Abbey Belgian Style Ale
• 5 very ripe bananas
• 2 cups of sugar, divided
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 8-oz block of cream cheese, softened
• 2-3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla

Preheat your oven to 350.  In a saucepan combine the 2 sticks of butter and 1 cup of New Abbey beer over low heat and bring to a simmer.  In the meantime thoroughly mash bananas with 1/3 cup of sugar (I used a food processor to puree them).  When the butter/beer mixture has simmered 1 minute, remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.  Stir in banana mixture.  In a bowl combine the remaining 1 2/3 cups of sugar with the two eggs and vanilla.  With the mixer on low slowly pour in the butter/beer/banana mixture to help temper everything together.  Continue mixing for another 2 minutes.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; add to the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.  You can either pour into a 9X13 pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes (test with a toothpick for doneness), or make cupcakes by pouring 1/4 cup of batter into a lined muffin pan and bake at 350 for 17-20 minutes.  You know, just do whatever floats your boat.  You’re making beer cake for crying out loud – you’re hardcore and do what you want!

For the frosting simply cream together the softened stick of butter and softened cream cheese, then add the vanilla.  Add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time until desired consistency is reached.  Spread like a maniac all over the cake and/or cupcakes.  And maybe save some on the spoon just for you.  You deserve it!

The bananas and cream cheese are a perfect pairing for the flavors in the beer, and you get a slight yeasty flavor in every bite.  It’s just one of those things that makes you go “MMMMMMM,” and who doesn’t need more of THAT in their life?

I’ll take a little extra MMMMMMM every day athankyouverymuch.