Boozy Banana and Caramel Cake

It’s about to get a whole lot colder, and when it does - this boozy banana cake will be here to keep you warm. This is the perfect cake to make on a cold weekend morning - ready to dig into by the afternoon with a big cup of tea (or something stronger).

The sponge is ideal for using up bananas that have out stayed their welcome in your fruit bowl. When they get to that override stage; I usually throw them in the freezer ready for emergency banana-bread-making. It’s really handy, except I now inadvertently have an entire freezer drawer dedicated to bananas.

If you’re using bananas from frozen, just put them in the oven whilst it’s preheating and they’ll have softened up by the time you need them.

The whisky caramel in this recipe comes together really quickly - and is dangerously addictive.

If you’re not sure about making your own, you can always use shop bought caramel and add the whisky to it - you might just need to heat it up over the hob first to loosen it up. 

Glenfiddich single malt whisky was my tipple of choice for this recipe. One rule of thumb for this cake, if in doubt - just add more! 

What you need:

For the cake:
125g unsalted butter
175g caster sugar
100g light brown sugar
1 medium egg
300g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
110ml buttermilk
1tsp vanilla extract
2 large ripe bananas

For the whsiky syrup:
2tbsp granulated sugar
2tbsp whisky
4tbsp water

For the whisky caramel:
95g caster sugar
30ml water
90ml double cream
40g butter
1tbsp whisky

For the Italian meringue buttercream :
150g soft light brown sugar
50ml water
3 medium egg (whites only)
250g unsalted butter
1tbsp whisky

To finish:
A handful of pecans (or walnuts)

What you need to do:

For the cake:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180°c then grease and line two round 20cm cake tins
2. In a mixer, combine the butter and both sugars then mix until light and fluffy (around 5 minutes)
3. Add the egg and mix until fully combined
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and mix
5. Measure out the buttermilk then add the vanilla
6. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the mixer, then add half the buttermilk and repeat - then add the rest of the flour and mix until combined
7. Mash the bananas with a fork, then fold them into the batter
8. Divide the batter between the two cake tins and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and the sponge is ‘springy’ to touch
9. Once baked, pour the syrup over each sponge (see details below) and leave to cool for around 15 minutes before removing
10. Place on a wire rack cool completely

For the whisky syrup:

1. Place all ingredients into a saucepan and set over a medium heat
2. Heat until the sugar has completely melted then set aside

For the whisky caramel:

1. Heat the caster sugar and water in a saucepan over a medium heat
2. Once the sugar turns an amber colour, slowly stir in the butter then the double cream
3. Stir over the heat until thickened, then add the whisky, before removing from the heat to set aside to cool

For the Italian meringue buttercream

1. Place 125g of the caster sugar and all of the water into a saucepan and place over a medium heat - get your thermometer ready!
2. Put the egg whites into a mixer and start to mix on a medium heat, then slowly add the remaining 25g of caster sugar and mix until soft peaks appear then switch off
3. By this time the sugar syrup should be starting to thicken - keep on the heat until it registers 121°c on your thermometer - if you’re doing this by eye, it should take around 10-12 minutes
4. Once it hits 121°c, remove from the heat and switch the mixer back on at a medium speed
5. Slowly pour the syrup into the mixer, trying not to pour too close to the side, or to the whisk
6. Mix on a higher speed for around 7 minutes or until the bowl is slightly cooler but still warm to the touch
7. Add in the butter bit by bit and mix until the buttercream is smooth and light - then add the whisky

To finish:

1. Place the bottom sponge on a cake stand, then spoon half the buttercream on top and smooth
2. Drizzle half the caramel over the top (not too close to the edge)
3. Place the other sponge on top and spoon over the remaining buttercream - use a palette knife to create a swirl on top
4. Crush the pecan nuts and sprinkle on top - then drizzle liberally with caramel
5. Slice and enjoy!