200g(7/8 cup) unsalted butter or margarinesoftened
3large eggs
2ripe bananasmashed well or liquidised
2tbspmilk
1tbspAngostura Bitters
Caramel Drizzle
394g(14oz) tin condensed milk
5tbspDulce de Leche or Caramel
1tspAngostura Bitters
large pinch sea saltto taste
Cream Frosting
480ml(2 cups) cold creamdouble /heavy cream
100g(1 cup) icing sugar
2tspvanilla paste or extract
To decorate
1bananasliced
3Biscoff cookies powdered
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 170C (340F). Spray a 23cm (9 in) springform cake tin with cake release or grease with softened butter and dust with flour shaking out any excess. Line the bottom of the tin with baking paper.
Put the flour and sugar in large bowl. Add the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and mix together using a balloon whisk.
Add the softened butter, eggs, milk, Angostura Bitters and mashed bananas.
Start beating together on low speed setting using a hand mixer (or in a stand mixer using paddle attachment).
Increase the speed to maximum once the ingredients have been incorporated. Beat for a minute then stop and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula. Beat again until the batter is completely smooth.
Transfer the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 55 minutes to an hour. If the cake is colouring too rapidly then tent with foil after 25 minutes (but avoid keeping the oven door open for long). Do not place the foil directly onto the cake tin, make sure it is has a gap at the top to allow the cake space to rise properly.
Check the cake is done by inserting a skewer in the centre - it should come out clean, the cake should be well risen, golden and springy to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin.
Add the Caramel
Combine condensed milk, Dulce de Leche, Angostura Bitters and salt in a measuring jug.
Use a skewer to poke holes over the whole cake then pour half of the caramel over the centre of the cake. Use a spatula to spread the caramel and encourage it to soak into the holes. Gradually add more of the caramel but reserve some to drizzle over cake.
Run a knife along the edge of the tin, open the cake tin and carefully transfer the cake onto a plate.
Make the Frosting
Add the (cold!) double cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract (or paste) to a bowl and whisk on low speed setting, gradually increasing speed until you have firm peaks. You can do this with a hand mixer or in your stand mixer using the whisk attachment.
Pipe or spread the cream over the cake.
Drizzle the remaining caramel over the cake and sprinkle with the cookie crumbs. Add the banana slices and serve immediately or keep in the fridge until ready to share.
Video
Notes
Tips for the perfect Banoffee cake
This cake is so easy that even novice bakers will find it a doddle to make. Even so there’s a few things you need to know to achieve lemony perfection!
Unless specified otherwise all your ingredients including butter eggs and milk should be at room temperature in order to achieve a smooth batter. If one or more of the ingredients are cold they will cause your batter to split or look curdled.
To prevent your cakes sticking to the pans, properly grease the cake tin with a little softened butter and then sprinkle with flour shaking out any excess. I prefer to use a cake release spray for most of my baking.
For this lemon cake you can use a 23cm (9in) springform cake tin, a loose bottomed tin or a regular cake tin. If you use the latter make sure to be very careful when turning out the cake as the top will be moist from the caramel - ideally put the cake in the freezer first so it is easier to transfer.
Oven temperatures can vary so set a timer for 5 minutes before the specified time. The cake is done when the top is springy to the touch, the cake has just started to pull away from the edge of the tin and a skewer or toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Avoid opening the oven too often – or too early! - to check if the cake is done or your oven will start losing heat.