Banoffee pie cake

This was something I made when I had an excess of bananas and wanted a cake. Strawberries were not quite in season yet so I had to think outside the box and actually ended up with something a bit more special. I hope you like this one!

NB: all sugar is caster

Serves 10

Ingredients:

30g butter

7 small bananas, halved lengthways

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1 tbsp caster sugar

2 tbsp rum

Pinch salt

Sponge:

250g unsalted butter, diced at room temp

220g sugar

5 medium eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

190g spelt flour

60g ground almonds

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

Zest of 1 lemon

50ml whole milk

Date sauce:

140g dates, pitted

200ml hot water

7 tbsp lemon juice

2-3 tbsp maple syrup

Whipped cream:

200ml whipping cream

1 tbsp sugar

Handful sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 165 C degrees on the fan setting. Grease and line x2 19cm cake tins. Put the soft butter and sugar into a cake mixer with the paddle attachment and beat for 10 mins. You will need to scrape down the sides halfway. Continue until very light and fluffy. Mix all the dry ingredients together into a bowl (flour, bicarb, baking powder and salt). Continue beating the butter and then slowly trickle in a little at a time of the beaten eggs. At half of the egg mix, add a few tablespoons of the dry mix followed by more of the eggs. When all of the eggs are incorporated, turn down the mixer speed and start spooning in all of the dry. When finished stop the beater, scrape down the sides and add the lemon’s zest, milk and vanilla extract.

Mix everything together until just combined, about 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides once more. Divide the batter equally between the two tins and bake in the middle of the oven for 30-35 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool completely.

For bananas, set a large pan to medium heat. Add half the butter to melt. Add half the bananas cut side down. Fry for 1.30 mins without moving. Then add a spoon of rum, half of the following cinnamon, sugar + salt. Fry for another 30 secs- 1min. Carefully turn over and place on to a plate to cool. Repeat with the second batch.

Whip the cream with the sugar until it is light and fluffy.

Add the dates into a saucepan with the water, lemon juice + maple syrup.  Cook on medium heat for 10mins. Then add to a high-speed blender and mix until smooth. Scrape into a bowl + into the fridge to chill.

Assemble the cake with whipped cream, banana and date sauce between the layers.  Top with the sliced almonds to finish. This cake it best eaten on the day but the sponge can be made a day ahead.