Banoffee Cake

Banoffee pie has to be one of my desert island desserts and while I still love the pie version, this cake certainly gives it a run for its money with its moist banana sponge with a sweet caramel frosting.
Makes: 2 cakes

• 4 small ripe bananas
• 4 tbsp crème fraîche
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 175g butter, plus extra for greasing
• 350g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 350g self-raising flour

For the caramel sauce:

• 150g caster sugar
• 100ml double cream
• 75g butter, diced

For the caramel frosting:

• 125g butter
• 375g icing sugar
• 4 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

To serve:

Edible gold dust

1. To make the caramel sauce, combine the caster sugar with 50ml of water in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium- high heat and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat slightly and allow the mixture to simmer steadily for about 12 minutes, without stirring, until a golden caramel forms. Swirl the pan to encourage the sugar to caramelise. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the cream and mix through. Stir in the butter to form a smooth caramel and then set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line two 20cm diameter springform tins with baking parchment. To make the cake batter, mash three of the bananas in a bowl, then mix in the crème fraîche and vanilla bean paste.
3. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and caster sugar together until they are light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold through the flour and banana mixture alternately, then divide the cake batter between the two prepared tins and bake in the oven for about 35 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
4. Transfer the tins to a wire rack to cool before removing the cakes from the tins and leaving to cool completely.
5. Prepare the frosting by beating the butter and icing sugar until smooth, then adding the milk and beating again until smooth. Mix through the vanilla bean paste.
6. Spread the frosting over both of the cooled cakes, drizzling with caramel, sprinkling with gold dust and topping with slices of the remaining banana, before slicing into squares for serving!