Dark Chocolate Banana Cake With Delicate Lime Toffee Sauce Food

STICKY TOFFEE BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour an 8x8-inch baking dish.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the melted butter and sugar until blended. Add the eggs, mashed bananas, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix well.
• On low speed, stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Do not over mix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Bring the heavy cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt to a boil in a heavy small saucepan over high heat, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook at a gentle boil, whisking occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. It should be the consistency of maple syrup -- it will continue to thicken as it cools. Remove the sauce from the heat and cool.
• Spoon ⅓ cup of the toffee sauce over top of the baked banana cake. Return the cake to the oven and bake until the sauce is bubbling vigorously, about 6 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for at least 30 minutes. Cut the cake into 9 squares or 12 rectangles. Serve the cake slightly warm or at room temperature with warm toffee sauce and top with sliced bananas and pecans, if desired.
• Note: Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill; then rewarm slightly before using. If it seems too thick, add more heavy cream to thin it to desired consistency.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen (without the toffee sauce) for up to 3 months. Bake the cake for 35 minutes, let it cool completely, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap. Thaw on the countertop the night before you plan to eat it. Before serving, place the cake back in the oven with the toffee sauce and proceed with the recipe from there.

STICKY UPSIDE-DOWN BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and lightly grease a deep 23cm round cake tin, lining the base with baking parchment.
• To make the topping, put the butter and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over a medium heat until melted and combined. Add the vanilla and mix together. Pour the caramel into the cake tin and spread in an even layer. Cut the bananas in half lengthways and arrange on top of the caramel, cut-side down.
• To make the batter, put all the ingredients in a large bowl with 1/4 tsp salt. Use an electric mixer to beat together on a low speed until the batter is smooth and evenly mixed. Pour the batter on top of the bananas and level out with a spatula. Bake in the oven for 55 mins-1 hr or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. If the cake begins to look too dark, cover with foil after 45 mins. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 mins before turning out onto a plate. Best served warm but also delicious at room temperature. Best eaten within 2 days.

STICKY BANOFFEE LOAF WITH TOFFEE SAUCE

Steps:

• Pour the rum and 200ml water into a saucepan (if you're not using the rum, add an extra 100ml water). Bring to the boil, add the bicarb and dates, then leave to cool, allowing the dates to soak up the boozy liquid.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Pour the dates and the liquid into a bowl and add the suet, flour, vanilla and sugar. Beat until completely mixed, then fold in the banana and spoon into a lined 900g loaf tin. Bake for 40-45 mins until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool.
• While the cake is cooling, put the cream, sugar, butter and a small pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and cook until you have a bubbling sauce. Slice the banoffee loaf, pour over some sauce and serve with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream, if you like.

DARK CHOCOLATE BANANA CAKE WITH DELICATE LIME TOFFEE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celcius.
• Grease and place grease-proof paper in one 13 x 9 inch baking pan.
• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or use a small dish standing in a saucepan of boiling water that comes half way up the sides on low heat.
• Mash the bananas on a plate.
• In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt and baking powder.
• In a separate bowl mix together milk, eggs, coffee (2 tsps to one measuring cup of boiling water, don't use your favourite coffee cup !), oil, vanilla and cider vinegar.
• Add the milk mixture, the mashed banana and the melted chocolate to the flour mixuture stirring thouroughly with a wooden spoon until combined. The batter will be thin.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake until top of cake springs back when pressed and cake tester inserted comes out clean. (About 35 - 40 minutes.).
• Let cool then turn out onto wire rack.
• Delicate Lime Toffee Sauce.
• Put water and extra sugar in saucepan and melt on a low heat.
• Turn heat up to medium and cook until sugar reaches soft crack stage. (drip a little of syrup into cold water, if it sets firmly but doesn't quite break with a snap its ready) (About 5 - 6 minutes).
• Stir in the lime juice and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute then remove from heat.
• To serve cut cake into 4 inch squares, one per person. Place on dessert plate with one rolled scoop of vanilla icecream. Pour a little lime sauce over icecream and half of the slice of cake. Decorate with lime zest to garnish.

CHOCOLATE & LIME CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base of 2 x 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. Beat the butter and light brown sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs gradually, beating well between each addition. Fold in the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder. If the mixture is very stiff, stir in the milk.
• Spoon into the cake tins and bake for 20-25 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn the cakes out onto a wire rack and peel off the parchment. Gently heat the lime juice and caster sugar together, stirring to help the sugar dissolve. While the cakes and the syrup are still warm, pierce the cakes all over using a skewer and spoon over the syrup. Leave to cool completely.
• Next, make the candied lime zest. Pare the zest from the limes, cutting it into broad strips. Cut away the white pith and discard, then slice the zest into matchstick-sized strips. Put them in a pan and cover with water, then bring to the boil. Cook for 1 min, then drain and rinse. Dry and set aside. Juice the limes and add enough water to make 225ml. Heat gently with the sugar until the sugar has melted. Add the strips of zest and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated and turned syrupy - about 30 mins. Scoop the strips of zest out with a slotted spoon, then place them on parchment to dry.
• To make the buttercream, beat the butter and icing sugar together using an electric mixer or by hand (start off gently or the icing sugar will fly everywhere), until pale and light, but don't beat for so long that it gets too fluffy. Add the lime zest and beat again until smooth. Chill in the fridge until the buttercream is firm, but spreadable.
• To make the icing, heat the cream gently (don't let it boil), then take it off the heat. Add the chocolate and let it melt, stirring to help it along. Put the marmalade in a small pan with the extra 1 tbsp cream and heat slowly to dissolve. Add to the chocolate and cream and stir until everything is blended. Leave to cool a little, but not so long that it becomes firm. Pour over one of the layers of sponge and leave to cool and set - it will run down the sides and drip off.
• Spread the buttercream over the other layer, then put the chocolate coated layer on top. Decorate with the candied lime zest.

CHOCOLATE BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 13x9 inch pan.
• Beat cake mix, mashed bananas, oil and eggs with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 more minutes. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 33 to 36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cake cool then frost with your choice of frosting, if desired.

STICKY TOFFEE BANANA BREAD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter and line a 900g loaf tin with a strip of baking parchment.
• Beat the butter and both sugars in a bowl for 5 mins with an electric whisk until really fluffy. Whisk the eggs, banana and yogurt in a separate bowl until mostly smooth, then whisk this into the butter and sugar mixture. Fold in the flour and baking powder until just combined, then fold in the dates and nuts. Spoon into the tin, smooth over the top and bake for 1 hr-1 hr 15 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then lift out using the strip of parchment. You can serve it warm now, or leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Will keep for four days in an airtight container.
• Meanwhile, make the toffee sauce. Put the sugar in a heavy-based frying pan and melt over a medium-low heat until light golden brown and liquid - don't stir, just tilt the pan to melt the sugar. Carefully whisk in the butter until smooth, then pour in the cream slowly and bring to a bubble. Mix until the sauce is smooth and shiny. Pour into a heatproof bowl, cover and leave to cool to room temperature.
• For the brittle, put the sugar in a frying pan with 2 tbsp water over a medium heat, stir briefly, then simmer for 10 mins until the caramel turns amber. Don't stir after the initial mix, just tilt the pan to get an even deep golden colour.
• Meanwhile, line a baking tray with baking parchment. Carefully stir the nuts, banana chips and salt into the caramel, until well coated, then pour onto the tray. Tip the tray (or use a spoon) to make sure the nuts are in a single layer - or they will be harder to separate later. Leave to cool completely before breaking the brittle into shards.
• Stir the toffee sauce to loosen if it's become stiff, or warm for a few seconds in the microwave (add a splash more cream if you need to), then drizzle over the cake so it drips down the sides. Top with the shards of brittle. Will keep for two days in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE & BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment (allow it to come 2cm above top of tin). Mix the sugar, flour, bicarb, cocoa and chocolate in a large bowl.
• Mash the bananas in a bowl and stir in the whole egg plus 2 yolks, followed by the oil and milk. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Quickly stir the wet banana mixture into the dry ingredients, stir in a quarter of the egg whites to loosen the mixture, then gently fold in the rest. Gently scrape into the tin and bake for 1 hr 10-15 mins, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
• Cool in the tin on a wire rack. To make the icing, melt the chocolate and soured cream together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Chill in the fridge until spreadable. Remove cake from tin, roughly swirl icing over and scatter with the banana chips.

WARM BANANA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Grease 6-4 oz ramekins with butter and dust with flour.
• Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
• Mix vegetable oil and sugar in mixing bowl, using electric mixer at medium speed until smooth.
• Beat in eggs and mashed bananas, using low speed.
• While continuing to beat at low speed, add sifted dry ingredients, slowly.
• Continue beating until mixture is thoroughly blended.
• Divide batter among prepared ramekins.
• Arrange ramekins on baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes until cakes are firm to touch and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
• Place on wire rack and cool for at least 5 minutes.
• Cakes should be served warm.
• MAKE THE SAUCE:.
• Place chocolate in bowl.
• Heat milk and cream in saucepan to simmer over medium heat.
• Pour over chocolate and let stand to soften chocolate.
• Whisk until blended.
• Whisk in vanilla extract.
• Set aside keeping sauce warm.
• MAKE CARAMELIZED BANANAS:.
• Place butter and sugar in skillet over high heat.
• Cook until sugar turns amber and caramelizes.
• Add sliced banana and continue cooking until completely coated.
• Remove from heat immediately.
• Remove cakes from ramekins and place onto individual plates.
• Pour hot chocolate sauce around cake, place scoop of vanilla ice cream onto plate.
• Arrange 3 of caramelized bananas around cake cake and garnish with walnuts.
• Serve immediately.
• Enjoy!

EASY CHOCOLATE BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease and flour one 9x13 inch pan.
• Mix together cake mix, oil, eggs, sour cream, cocoa, chocolate chips, and banana, and beat for two minutes. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 minutes. Let cool in pan and dust with powdered sugar if desired. ENJOY!