Banana and Caramel Cake

. October, 2015
Photography by Claire Aldous.
Banana and Caramel Cake

Last week I had an abundance of lemons, this week it’s a bowl of over-ripe bananas! Perfect for whipping up this moist, tender cake and topping it with a cloud of cream cheese and caramel icing.

INGREDIENTS

150 grams butter at room temperature
½ cup caster sugar
½ cup brown sugar
zest 1 orange, finely grated
3 eggs, size 7 (large)
2 cups mashed very ripe bananas
2¼ cups plain flour
pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons milk, hot
To assemble
1 x 395 gram tin ready to use caramel sweetened condensed milk
cream cheese icing, recipe below
¼ cup roasted sliced almonds, optional
2 x 20cm cake tins, greased and bases lined with baking paper
Cream Cheese Icing

125 grams butter at room temperature
250 grams cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160˚C. fan bake. 

Cake: Beat the butter, both sugars and the orange zest until light and pale.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each one. 

Beat in the bananas. Combine the flour, salt and baking powder together. 

Dissolve the baking soda in the hot milk and add to the banana mixture along with the dry ingredients. Gently but thoroughly fold together then divide evenly between the two tins. 

Smooth the tops and bake for about 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre, comes out clean. 

Cool the cakes completely in the tins. 

To assemble: Place one cake on a serving plate. Put half of the cream cheese icing in a separate bowl. Stir in half of the caramel then spread evenly over the cake. 

Place the second cake on top and spread with the remaining icing. Spoon the remaining caramel over the icing and swirl together with the tip of a knife. Sprinkle with almonds if using. The unfilled cakes will keep for 3 days in an airtight container. Makes 1 cake.


Beat the butter for a couple of minutes then add the cream cheese and beat until light and fluffy. Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and beat for 1 minute.

Chill for 30 minutes if the mixture is very soft. The icing will keep for 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge.