Roasted Banana Ice Cream with Chocolate Pound Cake

OK, This blog has been in my mind for almost a year now but I couldn't bring myself to start it. Today is officially day one and I hope you enjoy it.

My husband Christian always wants Mexican. I always want to make dinner so Mexican dinner it is. I like to work backwards so let's start with dessert. I bought this ice cream maker a few months ago thinking I would like it for a while and then it would sit and collect dust but I am now officially obsessed with it. I wanted something more then just chocolate or vanilla so from one of my favorite books from David Lebovitz, here is roasted banana ice cream.

Roasting bananas in sugar and butter, blending them up and freezing them in your ice cream maker is pretty great. Adding a delicious chocolate pound cake to the bottom rounds out this "banana split" dessert.

(this picture could have looked a little better but the time dessert really came around to eat...we had a few beers from a Prime Meats growler...presentation doesn't always effect the taste!)

Roasted Banana Ice Cream
David Lebovitz (The Perfect Scoop)

3 Medium Sized Ripe Bananas
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 Tbsp butter (salted/unsalted) cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract ( I use Madagascar Bourbon pure vanilla extract- it really makes a difference and its pretty easy to find in specialty stores)
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice (Don't put any extra lemon juice in- it really tends to alter the flavor!)
1/4 tsp coarse salt

Preheat oven to 400F. Slice the bananas into 1/2 inch pieces and toss them with the brown sugar and butter in a baking dish.

Bake for 40 minutes, stirring once through baking until bananas are browned and booked through. (You will totally know when they are cooking because your entire apartment smells so good)

Scrape the bananas and thick syrup into a blender or food processor. Add the milk, granulated sugar, vanilla and lemon juice, salt and puree until smooth

Chill mixture in freezer and then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufactures instructions.

I own the Cuisinart Ice-21 and for $40 it's pretty amazing. You just have to keep the bowl in your freezer and whenever your ready to make ice cream- it takes 15-20 min and your done!

Ok now for the chocolate pound cake.

1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (6 7/8 ounces) firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (2 5/8 ounces) Natural cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
chocolate chips (optional!!)


Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Butter and lightly flour a 9×5x3-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the egg and beat well, then the buttermilk and vanilla. The batter is going to look a bit, clumpy but its ok!

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt together right into your wet ingredients. Stir together with a spoon until well-blended but do not overmix. Scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan (add chocolate chips on top if you want!) Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Let sit for 10 min or so then pop out of loaf pan and let cool entirely on a cooling rack. Yummy.