Description
This light banana layer cake is layered with a homemade bourbon caramel cream cheese frosting. Bourbon and caramel take this banana cake to a whole new level!
Ingredients
Scale
For the cake:
- 5-6 very ripe bananas peeled and mashed
- 14 tbsp butter
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup bourbon
For the icing:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 8oz cream cheese
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- caramel sauce:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tsp heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tbsp bourbon
- About 1 tbsp flakey sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8 inch cake pans, dust with flour, and place a piece of parchment at in the center.
- Beat the butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment in place. Beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, until light but super fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after adding.
- In a medium bowl mix the almond flour, AP flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon together and set aside.
- In a separate bowl mix the mashed bananas with the buttermilk, bourbon, and vanilla. Next add 1/3 of this to the butter-sugar mixture, beating on low speed to incorporate.
- Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, continuing to beat, and continue in alternating batches with the remaining wet and dry ingredients until everything is combined.
- Spoon the mixture evenly into the cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes.
For the icing:
- Make the caramel sauce by mixing the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until the mix begins to change color and becomes a deep amber color. Gently swirl the pan from time to time to distribute the heat. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the cream and bourbon. If the caramel starts to crystalize, return the pan to low heat and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool for a bit.
- While the caramel cools mix the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer until well combined. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time mixing in between each addition.
- Once the caramel cools add it and the vanilla to the cream cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle sea salt in between the layers and on top of the cake.
Notes
- Make the caramel about 30 minutes before you want to make the icing to give it enough time to cool before adding the caramel.
- If the caramel starts to crystalize return to low heat until melted.