Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Banana caramel cake

Banana caramel cake / Bolo de banana e caramelo

Even though there are new movies coming out on a daily basis, some are so good that if they are on TV it’s almost an obligation to watch them again - I saw “Misery” for the 4th time last week. :D

Can’t say the same happens in my kitchen: with hundreds of new things to try – a list that grows longer everyday – I don’t like repeating recipes... I’m pretty sure some of you agree with me. But I don’t mind trying variations on something I’ve already made and that was a hit among my family and friends.

Remember my apple caramel cake? It was delicious and I have received very positive feedback from people who have baked it, too. So why not try something similar, with bananas instead?

This great recipe comes from our favorite Cream Puff, the lovely Ivonne. Everything she makes is amazing and this cake is no different.

Banana caramel cake / Bolo de banana e caramelo

Banana caramel cake

Cake:
2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 large eggs
1 ¼ cups (300ml) vegetable oil (or canola oil as in the original recipe)
1 ¾ cups (350g) sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¾ cup (75g) coarsely chopped walnuts
85g (3oz) dark chocolate, broken into small pieces (size of chips)
3 ripe bananas, diced

Caramel:
½ cup (88g) firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Butter and flour a tube pan or a bundt pan that can hold 12 cups*; preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF.

Sift together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and baking soda.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the eggs, oil and sugar. With the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that the sugar has been incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix for another 30 seconds.
With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients a bit at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl every now and then to ensure everything is incorporated.
Once the dry ingredients have been added, remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add the walnuts, chocolate and bananas. Gently fold them in with a spatula or a wooden spoon. Don’t over mix.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes and then test the cake to see if it’s done by poking a toothpick or cake tester into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. If not, bake the cake for another 5 to 10 minutes. In Ivonne’s oven, this cake took 55 minutes; in mine, 1 hour.

About 5 to 10 minutes before the cake is done, make the caramel by combining all the ingredients in a small pan. Bring to the boil and stir occasionally to ensure that it doesn’t burn. Let it boil for about 5 minutes and then turn off the heat.
Once the cake is out of the oven, poke holes all over the cake with a skewer. Immediately pour the caramel over the cake, stopping every now and then to let the caramel sink in. If the caramel pools in spots, poke more holes to allow it to sink in.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack. Once it’s cool, loosen the cake from the sides of the pan and then unmold it onto a plate.

* I halved the recipe and used a 19cm (6-cup capacity) ring pan

Serves 10-12

Banana caramel cake / Bolo de banana e caramelo

28 comments:

Aussiemuminthekitchen said...

Everything you make always looks and sounds so divine. Do you think I could use a bundt pan? I don't have a ring pan or an angel food cake pan

eatme_delicious said...

I'm usually not that excited by banana bread/cake but this one - wow!!! Love it. It looks amazing. Especially that delicious caramel on top.

Half Baked said...

OMG that cake looks simply divine!

Donna-FFW said...

WOW! That cake is screaming my name. It looks so decadent.

anna said...

Wow, that looks amazing! Sooo delicious. I need to bake more with bananas!

KJ said...

Gorgeous cake and flowers. I am craving caramel now. But I don't have any bananas. I am off to look through my recipe books.

Jennifer said...

SO STUNNING!!!!!!
Im saving the recipe to this cake!! anything to take banana up a notch! :) thank you for sharing!

Kelly said...

Chocolate, bananas, and spices topped off with caramel? I may love you! It sounds fantastic and your pictures make it look too tempting!

Mable said...

Banana - excellent; Caramel - Yum; Banana caramel? BRILLIANT!
I reckon that's even better than Banana Chocolate (overated).

Manggy said...

Bananas and caramel together? That's just a marriage made in heaven right there :) (we even have a classic Filipino dessert that is basically just that :) You've captured it beautifully, too!

Patricia Scarpin said...

Hi, Aussie Mum! Thank you so much for your visit and for your kind words!
You can use a bundt pan, of course! I don't own one, so I used a regular ring pan. :D
Grease it well and don't unmold the cake until completely cold, ok?
Good luck!

Ashley, the spices add such a nice touch here!
Thank you!

Half Baked, thank you!!

Donna, I hope you give it a try!

Anna, you do! :D

KJ, I know for sure you'll end up making something wonderful.

Jennifer, thank you for visiting! I hope you like it!

Kelly, thank you, darling!
xoxo

Mable, tks for stopping by! I'm glad you like this recipe!

Mark, they do work so well together!
And thank you for your sweet comment, my friend!

Abby said...

I just love bananas. Beautiful pics!

How To Eat A Cupcake said...

Wow that cake is GORGEOUS!

Anonymous said...

I baked on Sunday and I baked again on Tuesday!!! It's Wonderful!!!!!

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Oh, yum! Bananas and caramel are a match made in heaven!
~ingrid

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Hello!
I made this tonight. It's still cooling and half gone on the rack. It's just as I thought, amazing! I made it as a b-day cake for my children's sitter. Everyone loved it (we ate it very warm out of the oven)!

Thank you for sharing!
~ingrid

Patricia Scarpin said...

Dear Ingrid,
Thank you for letting me know you made the cake - I'm so glad you liked it!

Cookie baker Lynn said...

Looks like a wonderful cake to serve to company or just happily scarf up with your honey. Yummy times two!

Kelly said...

I don't find cakes all that much better than any other cake, but I made this last night and it's WONDERFUL! My mouth is literally watering just thinking about it.

Patricia Scarpin said...

Hi Kelly!
I'm so glad to know you made the cake and liked it!
Thank you for commenting!

Afternoontea said...

Hi Patricia,

Gorgeous ! Love Caramel, Love Banana, this week happen to be my banana week, baked the pound cake,muffin & this will be the next,tks for sharing.Yvonne

Maybe said...

I love Misery too ! I think I saw it at least 3 times ! I easily picture myself eating your delicious cake while watching the movie :o)

Carol said...

This cake looks delicious. What size pan did you use? I want to make this over the weekend.

Patricia Scarpin said...

Hi, Carol, tks! I halved the recipe and used a 19cm (6-cup capacity) ring pan.
Hope you enjoy it!

Anonymous said...

I just made it today,i love the taste the combination of all ingredients except the nut meg i ddn't find it,and i added a Californian raisins..LOVE IT,so delicious..

Patricia Scarpin said...

Hey, there, I'm glad you like the recipe! Love the idea of adding raisins.
Thank you for letting me know how the recipe turned out for you!

Unknown said...

I made this cake for my husband last night! It was moist and sweet and delicious!

Patricia Scarpin said...

Dear Rachel, thank you for letting me know how the cake turned out! I'm glad you liked it!

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