Brown Butter Banana Cake

My grandmother's banana bread is unparalleled. Unfortunately she refuses to give the recipe to anyone. She claimed to have given it to my aunt, but I believe it was a fake. Oh those grandmothers and their secret recipes!
 
I've long given up trying to replicate hers and instead have spent some time making different ones. 
 
Quarantine has brought about an abundance of overripe bananas in our house. I decided to challenge myself to make a banana bread from scratch, using what I had, but try to elevate it some way. I ended up making a banana cake of sorts, it had the flavor of banana bread and the texture of a piece of cake it isn't really one or the other so maybe it's a banana brake (Can you tell I need to get out of my house?. I bet you have all the ingredients I used. This hit the spots; sweet, nutty, and comforting. ​

Ingredients:
 
4 small bananas
1/2 cup brown butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs beaten 
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher sea salt (you can use regular kosher salt, I just didn't have any #quarantine life)
Cap full of vanilla (very technical)

I didn't measure the bananas, I just mashed up the ones I had left. If I had to guess, it would be about 2 cups of mashed bananas. I say don't worry too much about the amount, use up what you have. This had a more delicate banana flavor so if you want a more intense flavor, add more bananas. I think next time I may add banana liquor! ​

I wanted a nutty flavor but didn't have any nuts, so I decided to take a risk and make some brown butter. It's super easy and really elevates your dish.

To make brown butter simply melt the butter in a pan until the milk solids separate and the liquid becomes brown. Some people strain it, I like the little brown flakes especially for a banana bread so I left them. ​

Add 3/4 of a cup of brown sugar to your brown butter and beat together. Then add your eggs and mashed bananas and mix until its all incorporated.

In a separate bowl mix your dry ingredients; flour, baking soda, and salt and then mix into the wet ingredients 1/3 at a time.

When everything is incorporated pour it into a greased loaf pan (I like to line the bottom with parchment) and bake for one hour at 350 degrees.

Test it with a knife or toothpick, when it comes out clean, it's done. Let it cool for five minutes before slicing. 
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If you want to make it extra fancy a cream cheese frosting or powdered sugar icing drizzle would be delicious. I enjoyed mine warm with a pat of butter. Heaven.

I'm sure next week I'll be tweaking this recipe again as I anticipate more bananas to use up. When I buy less bananas we run out and are sad, when I buy more we end up with leftovers, there is no in between.

What have you been making while in staying home? Do you find yourself getting inventive in the kitchen?