BANANA CAKE WITH SALTED CARAMEL, NILLA WAFER CRUNCH, AND BROWN SUGAR BUTTERCREAM

Don’t let the long list of components scare you away. If you plan ahead, this cake isn’t as daunting as it seems. I like to make my cakes in steps over a few days, so it’s not too much work all at once. Make your nilla wafer crunch and salted caramel one night, the cake layers another night, and then the buttercream on the day you assemble the cake! I never bake the cake the same day I frost it! In fact, I usually don’t even frost it the same day I plan on serving it either! Let your freezer become your best friend when it comes to cake baking! You can freeze each individual layer on a flat surface (wrapped in saran wrap and aluminum foil) until you are ready to assemble the cake and you can also freeze the entire frosted cake for up to a week before you want to serve it (let it freeze for 30 minutes unwrapped and then remove it and wrap in saran wrap). I typically only let mine sit frosted in my freezer for a couple days and then remove it from the freezer about 6 hours before we are ready to eat it.

*This cake could easily be made into amazing cupcakes instead! Just adjust your baking time down to 18 minutes at 325. It yields 36 cupcakes. To assemble, use an apple corer or paring knife to remove a small piece of the cupcake center, fill it with some salted caramel sauce, frost, and top with the nilla wafer crunch and a little extra drizzle of caramel.

Banana Cake with Salted Caramel Sauce, Nilla Wafer Crunch, and Brown Sugar Buttercream
makes three 8-inch rounds, one 9×13 inch baking dish, or 36 cupcakes (you can use 9-inch rounds instead, but the baking time will be slightly less)

Banana Cake Ingredients:

• ¾ cup butter, softened slightly

• 2⅛ cups sugar (2 cups + 2 T)

• 3 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1 cup buttermilk

• ½ cup sour cream

• 1½  cups ripe bananas, mashed (3-4 bananas)

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• 3 cups flour

• 1½  teaspoons baking soda

• ¼ teaspoon salt

Banana Cake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 and prepare cake pans (if using rounds, butter them, cut out a piece of parchment paper and stick it on the bottom, and then butter the top of the parchment paper as well). Set aside.
2. In a large stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter on high for 2 minutes. Add sugar and whip again for 3 additional minutes.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
4. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, buttermilk, mashed bananas, lemon juice, and vanilla. Whisk together and slowly add to stand mixer on medium speed. You may need to scrape the butter from the bottom and mix again.
5. In another separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt and gently stir. Turn your mixer on the lowest setting and slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture until just barely incorporated. Turn mixer off and use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and gently stir some more. Do not over mix!
6. Separate batter evenly between prepared cake rounds (or pour into a buttered 9×13) and bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes (18 minutes for cupcakes), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it. Note: The baking time might be slightly more for a 9×13.
7. Let cakes cool in the round pans for 3-5 minutes and then flip them upside down onto cooling racks. Once fully cooled, you can wrap them in saran wrap and aluminum foil and move to the freezer until you’re ready to assemble the cake.

Salted Caramel Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup water

• 3/4 cup heavy cream, room temp

• 3 1/2 T unsalted butter

• 1 teaspoon gray sea salt, crushed or Kosher salt

Salted Caramel Directions:

1. In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, combine sugar and water over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves.
2. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, without stirring. If necessary, use a wet pastry brush to wash down any crystals on the side of the pan. Boil until the syrup is a deep amber color, about 6-10 minutes (I find it’s better to go off of color here, rather than time).
3. Remove the sugar from the heat and SLOWLY add the cream while quickly whisking. The mixture will bubble.
4. Stir in the unsalted butter and salt. Transfer to a dish to cool. Note: if making ahead, store in the fridge until the day you assemble the cake and just warm it slightly in the microwave to bring it back to room temperature

Nilla Wafer Crunch Ingredients:

• 1 box nilla wafers
• 1/3 c melted butter
• 1/2 c brown sugar, packed

Nilla Wafer Crunch Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Place nilla wafers in a plastic bag and gently crush them into pieces using a rolling pin (you don’t want them to be a powder, they just need to be broken up into smaller pieces).

• Transfer nilla wafer pieces into a bowl with the brown sugar and melted butter. Stir to combine.

• Place mixture on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until sugar melts and adheres to the cookie pieces (5-7 minutes). Remove from oven, gently toss with a spatula, and let cool. Move to a ziplock bag and store at room temp until ready to use.

Brown Sugar Buttercream Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed

• 1/2 cup light corn syrup

• 1/4 cup water

• 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter

• 6 cups powdered sugar, sifted for best results

• Pinch of salt

Brown Sugar Buttercream Directions:

1. In a medium sauce pan, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup and water over medium heat. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a soft boil and let cook for about 5 minutes to thicken. Remove from heat and let cool for about 15 to 20 minutes.
2. While the mixture is cooling, mix the butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter on medium-high for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
3. Change the mixer to low speed and gradually add the powdered sugar.
4. Once the powdered sugar is incorporated, slowly stream the slightly cooled brown sugar syrup into the bowl. Once all the syrup has been added, turn the mixer up to medium-high and beat for 5 additional minutes.
5. If the mixer gets too soft (which it will because the brown sugar syrup is still warm), place the bowl in your freezer for 10-15 minutes and then beat the frosting again for a couple minutes. Repeat if necessary.

Cake Assembly:

1. Trim cakes if necessary to ensure they are flat and even.
2. If using round cake layers, start by taping a cake board the same size as your cake to a cake board that is 2 inches larger than your cake. Secure cake onto cake boards by putting a little frosting down first and then placing the cake face down on top of it.
3. Cover first layer with frosting then top with a thin layer salted caramel and a generous helping of the nilla wafer crunch.
4. Place next cake layer on top and repeat step three.
5. For the crumb coat, place a spoonful of frosting on the top of your cake and pull out towards the edges. Frost the sides by spinning the cake around as you spread the frosting over the entire cake. Do not spend too much time on your crumb coat as it will get covered up by more frosting, but try to make it relatively smooth. Once satisfied, place the cake in the freezer for 10 minutes to set the frosting and to secure the layers.
6. Once you remove the cake from the freezer, place another cake board (that is the same size as your cake) shiny side down on top of your cake. Secure the cake board by frosting the top sides of your cake first. and fill in the entire area between your top and bottom cake boards. This will ensure you have a straight, even cake.
7. Smooth frosting using a cake scraper. If you have a rotating cake stand, try to place your scraper on the back side of the cake and spin the entire cake in one fluid motion.
8. Fill in any air pockets with additional frosting and repeat until smooth.
9. Put cake back in freezer for 10-15 minutes to set frosting again.
10. Remove cake from freezer and use a paring knife to carefully cut the top cake board off the cake.
11. Add additional frosting to the top of the cake and smooth using the cake scraper.
12. If you are not eating the cake until the next day, place it back in the freezer for 15 minutes to set the frosting and then wrap it in saran wrap and keep it in your freezer until about 6 hours before you wish to eat it. If freezing it for more than one day, also wrap it in aluminum foil.