BANANA RUM CAKE WITH TOFFEE SAUCE

Prep Time: 2 Hours
Yields: 9-12 Servings

Comment:
Ever wonder what to do with those over-ripe bananas sitting in the fruit bowl on your kitchen counter? Well, here is the perfect recipe for that occasion. If you're not ready to make the cake when the bananas are ripe, simply place the whole banana, skin-on, in a zip lock bag and pitch 'em in the freezer until you develop a sweet tooth.

Ingredients for Toffee Sauce:
1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup dark corn syrup
¼ cup unsalted butter
⅛ tsp salt
3 tbsps heavy whipping cream

Method for Toffee Sauce:
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring 1¼ cups heavy cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt to a boil, whisking until sugar dissolves. Reduce to simmer and cook about 15 minutes or until sauce coats spoon thickly and is reduced to about 1½ cups, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat and cool. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream to thin sauce to desired consistency. Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Reheat slightly before using.

Ingredients for Banana Rum Cake:
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 tbsp dark rum
1 tbsp butter, melted
2¼ cups flour, divided
1½ tsps baking powder
½ tsp salt
⅔ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1¼ cups packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1½ tsps pure vanilla extract
sliced bananas for garnish

Method for Banana Rum Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8" x 8" x 2" nonstick baking pan with 1 tablespoon of melted butter, dust with ¼ cup of flour and tap out excess. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together unsalted butter and dark brown sugar with an electric mixer until well blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in mashed bananas, rum and vanilla. Add flour mixture in 4 additions, beating just to blend after each addition. Spread batter evenly in prepared baking pan. Bake 35-38 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean. Remove cake from oven. Spread ½ cup of toffee sauce evenly over cake. Return cake to oven and bake until sauce is bubbling thickly, approximately 6 minutes. Remove from oven, place on cooling rack and allow to cool 30 minutes. Serve cake slightly warm or at room temperature with toffee sauce and sliced bananas.