For a stretch of time, **Fly Bar** was one of those "hidden gems" in Tampa dining. If you knew someone who knew about it, you were sure to end up there. Sometimes you just stumbled across it by accident; a little off the main drag, just far enough from the Straz Center that it wasn’t the go-to pre-show spot, but the kind of place that pulled people in anyway. Local art on the walls, a rooftop view that mixed city grit with charm, and a menu that changed often enough to keep you curious.

Everyone had their own favorite, but the dessert that left the biggest impression was the **Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Ice Cream and Brûléed Marshmallow Fluff**. It was comforting and whimsical at the same time: banana cake that reminded you of home, peanut butter ice cream that brought richness, and a swipe of marshmallow fluff torched tableside for just a bit of theater.

Fly Bar may be gone, but this recipe brings that memory back. Scaled for the home cook and perfect for sharing.

Note: This was probably one of the more difficult recipes to convert as it calls for a lot of steps, lots of equipment, and lots of patience.

# Peanut Butter Ice Cream (about 1 quart)

**Ingredients**

* 3 large egg yolks
* ½ cup granulated sugar
* 2 cups whole milk
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* ½ cup creamy peanut butter
* Pinch of salt

**Method**

1. Whisk yolks and sugar together in a bowl until the yolks take on a pale color.
2. Heat milk, cream, and vanilla until just simmering (about 180F). Remove from heat.
3. Slowly whisk into yolks, then return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the custard coats a wooden spoon.
4. Remove from heat and whisk in peanut butter and salt until smooth.
5. Strain, chill in an ice bath, then refrigerate at least 4 hours.
6. Churn in ice cream maker and freeze until firm.

# Banana Cake (small loaf, ~4–6 servings)

**Ingredients**

* 1 ¼ cup flour
* ½ tsp baking soda
* ½ tsp baking powder
* Pinch salt
* 3 Tbsp melted butter
* ½ cup white sugar
* ¼ cup light brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 tsp molasses
* ⅓ cup sour cream
* 2 ripe bananas (about 1 cup mashed)

**Method**

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a small loaf pan.
2. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Blend butter, sugars, egg, molasses, sour cream, and bananas until smooth.
4. Stir wet into dry until just combined.
5. Bake 25–30 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes, then turn onto a rack.

# Marshmallow Fluff

**Ingredients**

* 1 egg white
* ½ cup light corn syrup
* ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
* ¼ tsp vanilla

**Method**

1. Whip egg white to stiff peaks.
2. Slowly beat in corn syrup and sugar.
3. Mix in vanilla until glossy.

# Brûléed Bananas

* 1 banana, sliced
* Turbinado sugar

Sprinkle slices with sugar and torch until caramelized.

# Plating

1. Warm slices of banana cake in the oven.
2. Top with brûléed banana slices.
3. Swipe a spoonful of marshmallow fluff on the plate, torch until golden.
4. Place the cake on top.
5. Add a scoop of peanut butter ice cream.

Serve right away! It's warm, cold, melty, and just a little showy, the way **Fly Bar** did it.

# A Note on This Project

I’ve been working to preserve recipes from Tampa’s past from neighborhood spots to restaurants that, like **Fly Bar**, aren’t around anymore. Many of these recipes would otherwise fade away, and my goal is to keep them alive and share them in a way that feels approachable at home.

All donations go directly toward purchasing ingredients and having real people test these recipes once they’re scaled down from their original large-batch restaurant versions (25–30 servings) into something that works for about four people or the home cook. This step is crucial to making sure the recipes actually work and taste the way they should outside of a professional kitchen.

**If you’d like to support the project and help keep it moving forward, you can find donation links on my profile.**

As always, whether you donate or not, if you want to attempt any of these recipes, please send me a message if you need any help or have any questions; I'm more than happy to assist!

A Taste of Fly Bar - Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Ice Cream & Brûléed Marshmallow Fluff