Description
Banana Pecan Caramel Layer Cake is a dessert that commands reverence and admiration—a towering masterpiece that combines the comforting familiarity of banana bread with the elegance of a professional patisserie creation.
Ingredients
Scale
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- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
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- 1½ tsp baking powder
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- 1½ tsp baking soda
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- 1 tsp salt
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- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
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- 1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
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- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
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- 3 large eggs, room temperature
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- 1½ cups (340g) mashed very ripe bananas (about 4 medium)
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- ¾ cup (180ml) buttermilk, room temperature
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- 2 tsp vanilla extract
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- 1 cup (120g) toasted pecans, chopped
Instructions
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- Prepare the Pans:
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- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
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- Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
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- Wrap dampened cake strips around the outside of each pan (for even baking).
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- Prepare the Pans:
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- Mix Dry Ingredients:
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- In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
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- Repeat sifting two more times for absolute uniformity. Set aside.
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- Mix Dry Ingredients:
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- Cream Butter and Sugar:
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- In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed for exactly 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
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- Scrape down bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
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- Cream Butter and Sugar:
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- Add Eggs:
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- Add eggs one at a time, mixing for 90 seconds after each addition.
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- The mixture should become pale and ribbony.
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- Add Eggs:
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- Combine Wet Ingredients:
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- In a separate bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla.
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- Combine Wet Ingredients:
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- Alternate Dry and Wet Ingredients:
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- With mixer on low, add ⅓ of dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.
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- Add ½ of banana mixture, mixing until incorporated.
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- Repeat, ending with final ⅓ of dry ingredients. Mix only until no flour streaks remain.
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- Alternate Dry and Wet Ingredients:
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- Fold in Pecans:
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- Using a silicone spatula, gently fold in chopped pecans until evenly distributed.
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- Fold in Pecans:
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- Bake:
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- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans (about 500g per pan).
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- Bake in center of oven for 22 minutes.
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- Rotate pans and continue baking 3-5 minutes more until cakes spring back when lightly pressed.
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- A toothpick inserted should come out with a few moist crumbs.
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- Bake:
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- Cool:
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- Let cakes cool in pans exactly 10 minutes.
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- Run a knife around edges and invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
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- Cool:
Notes
Baker’s Notes:
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- For best results, use a kitchen scale to measure ingredients
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- Room temperature ingredients incorporate more evenly
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- Do not open oven door during first 20 minutes of baking
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- Cakes can be wrapped and frozen at this stage for up to 1 month