Banoffee Cake

To make a caramel filling out of the sweetened condensed milk, pour sweetened condensed milk into top of double boiler. Cover and place over boiling water. Simmer over low heat 1 to 1½ hours or until milk is thick and light caramel-colored. Let cool slightly (not all the way or it will harden). (Can instead use premade caramel or toffee sauce, see notes.)

For the banana cakes: Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare 3, 8” round cake pans with pan spray and/or parchment paper.

In a large bowl add butter and mix with a electric mixer for about a minute to soften. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar and cream together for about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, mixing in one at a time.

Add the mashed bananas and the vanilla and mix together until all the ingredients are incorporated.

In a separate medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk together.

Add about 1/3 of the flour to the wet mixture and mix in with a wooden spoon or spatula, then add about half the buttermilk and mix in. Add another third of the flour, the remaining buttermilk and then last of the flour, mixing them in with each addition.

Add the chocolate chips and toffee bits to the batter and mix in just until evenly incorporated.

Evenly pour the batter into the three cake pans and bake at 350°F for about 30-35 minutes, checking to see when they are golden brown on the top and done in the center. Remove cakes from the oven and let them completely cool.

For the buttercream: While the cakes are cooling make the buttercream. In a large bowl or stand mixer add the butter until creamed. Add the heavy cream, vanilla and salt and continue mixing. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and mix in until completely incorporated. Then mix on medium-high for about 5-7 minutes until buttercream is light and fluffy.

After the cakes have cooled, begin to assemble. Add a small amount of buttercream to the bottom of a 10” cake board or plate and place your first layer of cake. You may have to cut the tops of the cakes off if they’ve domed so they are level. Spread about a ¼-½ inch layer of buttercream on top of the cake. Pipe a ring around the top perimeter of the cake with more buttercream. Spread about half of the caramel in the middle of the "well" created by the piped buttercream. Top with extra toffee bits and chocolate chips if desired.

If buttercream and caramel seems really soft, place the layers in the refrigerator at this point for about 15-20 minutes to allow them to set up.

Add second layer of cake. Repeat the buttercream layer, the ring of buttercream and the remaining caramel on top of the second layer of cake (you can save a little for the outside if you’d like). Extra toffee bits and chocolate chips if desired. Top with the third layer of cake. Place the whole cake in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes to firm up.

When the cake has cooled, remove from the refrigerator and frost the outside of the cake with the remaining buttercream. You can swirl any remaining toffee on the outside as well. You can top the cake with additional bananas, banana chips, chocolate chips and/or toffee bits. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Enjoy!!