Food_Heaven_-_November_2019

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WE LOVE... SPICED HONEY CAKE pg26 // PEAR CAKE pg27 //BUTTER RUM CAKE pg33

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Banana & salted caramel

showstopper cake

SERVES 8

For the cake

300g (10½oz) unsalted butter,

softened, plus extra for the tins

300g (10½oz) soft light brown sugar

4 large free-range eggs

300g (10½oz) plain flour, sifted

2 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 ripe mashed bananas, peeled

For the caramel buttercream

150g (5½oz) unsalted butter, softened

500g (1lb 1oz) icing sugar

200g (7oz) soft cheese

80g (2½oz) Hawkhead Relish Salted

Caramel Sauce

To assemble

150g (5½oz) Hawkhead Relish Salted

Caramel Sauce

1 tbsp cold water

2 ripe bananas, peeled

25g (1oz) unsalted butter

a generous pinch of Halen Môn sea

salt flakes

a handful of walnut halves

For the cake

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Meanwhile, grease and line two deep

20 cm (8in) springform cake tins using the

extra butter and baking paper.

2 Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl

until light and fluffy. Crack in the eggs, one by

one, and mix between each addition until

thoroughly combined. Fold in the flour,

followed by the baking powder and

bicarbonate of soda. Stir in the vanilla extract

WWW.FOODHEAVENMAG.COM NOVEMBER baking heaven 25

and the mashed bananas until just

combined. Divide the batter equally

between the lined cake tins and bake in the

oven for 35 minutes, or until a skewer

inserted into the middles comes out clean.

Cool in the tins for at least 10 minutes, then

transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the caramel buttercream

3 Beat the butter and icing sugar for

5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the

soft cheese and beat for another minute or

until fully combined. Add the salted

caramel sauce and mix until the

buttercream is thick yet spreadable.

To assemble

4 Spread 50g (1½oz) of the caramel sauce

on top of one of the sponges, followed by a

thick layer of the buttercream, then chill for

10 minutes. Put the plain sponge on top of

the iced one and spread the remaining

buttercream over the top and sides of the

cake. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

5 In a bowl, whisk the remaining 100g

(3½oz) caramel with the cold water until

smooth. Slice the bananas at an angle while

you melt the butter in a frying pan. Fry the

sliced bananas for 2-3 minutes or until they

begin to caramelise. Cool, then gently stir

through half of the whisked caramel.

6 Put the cake on a serving plate or stand

and pile the caramelised bananas on top,

then drizzle with the remaining caramel.

Sprinkle with a few sea salt flakes and add

some walnut halves if you like.

Recipe taken from

Embellish with

Relish ©2019 Meze

Publishing Ltd.

Written by Maria

Whitehead MBE.

Photography by

Tim Green.