A fabulous celebration cake! Layers of moist banana cake are sandwiched together with cream cheese and caramel sauce. Decorated with caramel popcorn, white chocolate and hokey pokey bark and pretty flowers. This cake is seriously huge, will definitely feed a crowd!

BANANA CARAMEL CAKE

INGREDIENTS

BANANA CAKE
375 grams butter, softened
450 grams caster sugar
6 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
9 bananas, mashed
525 grams plain flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

CARAMEL SAUCE
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup cream
35 grams butter, cubed

CREAM CHEESE ICING
250 grams cream cheese, softened
150 grams butter, softened
320 grams icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

WHITE CHOCOLATE BARK
125 grams white chocolate
100 grams hokey pokey

Caramel popcorn and flowers to decorate

3 x 23cm cake tins

METHOD

BANANA CAKE
Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each one. Add the vanilla extract and mix well. Add the mashed bananas and mix again. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then fold into butter and sugar mixture. 

Line three 23cm cake tins with grease proof paper. Spoon cake mix evenly between each tin. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Using a serrated knife, level off cakes. 

CARAMEL SAUCE
Place the sugar and water in a saucepan, place on the stovetop on a medium heat for 5-8 minutes or until golden brown. Do not stir as this will make the sugar crystallise. In a separate saucepan simmer the cream. Once the sugar has turned golden brown add the cream. Be careful as it will bubble up, stir constantly. Add the butter and salt and continue to stir. Once all combined place in a jug and refrigerate until needed. 

CREAM CHEESE ICING
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and beat again until icing is smooth and light in colour.  

WHITE CHOCOLATE BARK

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place a large glass or metal bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bowl isn't sitting in the water. Add the white chocolate, once completely melted remove from heat. Pour the white chocolate onto the baking tray. Using a spatula, smear the chocolate out evenly and sprinkle over chunks of hokey pokey. Place in the fridge to harden then break into large pieces. 

TO ASSEMBLE
Place one of the cakes on a cake stand. Then layer generously with cream cheese and caramel, make sure the caramel sits 3cm in from the edge of the cake. Then place the second cake on top and repeat the previous step. Place the last cake on top and cover with cream cheese. Using a palette knife and bench scraper, evenly smear the icing over the cake. Using chilled cream cheese icing makes it a lot easier. Pour drips of caramel over the edges of the cake and then fill in the centre. Decorate with large shards of white chocolate bark, caramel popcorn and roses.