Vegan Banana Mud Cake and Peanut Butter Caramel from Sara Kidd

Sara Kidd

Vegan dessert diva Sara Kidd and I met virtually when she invited me to join the Vegan Baking Facebook Group she was just starting. I accepted gladly, intrigued by this passionate woman who was making stunning desserts and looking so retro stylish. In no time,  Sara’s Facebook group has grown to 8000+ members but her personal attention within the very interactive group makes it feel quite intimate.

We met again, still virtually when Sara registered for my Essential Vegan Desserts Course.  What a pleasure to have an opportunity to mentor such a talent. Sara has a lot on her (delicious) plate now, but she says, “stand by for exciting new announcements”.

Join me in welcoming Sara as today’s guest blogger. After you read the blog post and print the recipe so you can make her delectable Banana Mud Cake with Peanut Butter Caramel,  keep scrolling for a chance to win a copy of Sara’s e-book Bake Vegan Stuff. The contest is open to everyone, everywhere.

Sara Kidd is rocking the vegan baking scene with her retro flare and eye-popping baking creations. She is a Food Columnist for the world’s most popular vegan food mag: Vegan Food & Living UK. Her new cookbook BAKE VEGAN STUFF, Easy Recipes for Kids (and Adults too!), is becoming wildly popular and everyone is tuning into her YouTube channel weekly, to watch her whip up something spectacular. She also runs one of the most interactive vegan baking groups on Facebook with over 8000 members! You can find all her recipes, tips and video on her website here: www.sarakidd.com.

Bake Vegan Stuff by Sara Kidd will teach you about replacing eggs and dairy to create fabulous desserts like this Banana Mud Cake with Peanut Butter Caramel. Don’t forget to enter the contest for a chance to win a copy.

Banana Mud Cake with Peanut Butter Caramel

This cake is modelled on a traditional mud cake. It’s moist, denser in texture and very rich in flavour. The ingredient that really makes this cake pop is the cacao butter. It enhances the banana and adds subtle notes of white chocolate whilst adding moisture. I recommend creating thin layers as the cake is heavy. It’s great for craving as the crumb is tight and a perfect choice for a celebration cake. The peanut butter caramel complements the banana beautifully, whilst the peanuts add crunch and texture.  I would recommend leaving this cake out of the fridge as it tends to dry it out. 

To make the cake begin by melting the shortening and cacao butter before combining with the banana. Thicken your soy milk with a bit of vinegar and then mix with the banana oil. Combine your dry ingredients in your mixer before slowly adding the banana mixture and boiling water. Bake in thin layers.

The peanut butter caramel is made by combining sugar, water and white vinegar in a saucepan and boiling until it is golden in color. Coconut cream and peanut butter are added to create a thick caramelly sauce.

5 from 2 votes

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Banana Mud Cake with Peanut Butter Caramel

This cake is modeled on a traditional mud cake. It’s moist, denser in texture and very rich in flavor.

Course Dessert

Keyword banana, caramel, peanut butter cup pudding, vegan baking, vegan cake, vegan dessert

Author Sara Kidd

Ingredients

CAKE

• 100 grams vegetable shortening
• 30 grams cacao butter
• 140 grams banana puree without any chunks
• 250 ml soy milk mixed with 2 tbs white vinegar
• 1 tbs vanilla bean paste
• 100 ml boiling water
• 270 grams all-purpose flour
• 30 grams cornflour or cornstarch
• 208 grams caster sugar or finely ground vegan cane sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

PEANUT BUTTER CARAMEL

• 200 grams caster sugar or finely ground vegan cane sugar
• 60 ml water
• 1 tbs vinegar
• 100 grams thick coconut cream plus extra
• 65 grams crunchy peanut butter

SIMPLE SUGAR SYRUP (optional)

• 450 grams sugar
• 500 mls hot water

Instructions

TO MAKE CAKE

1. Preheat oven 150°C/302°F and line 2 x 6IN / 15.24CM cake tins with baking paper, grease with oil and dust with flour

2. Melt shortening and cacao butter in a small pot on the stove, take off heat and add banana and whisk together until combined
3. In a small jug mix soy milk with vinegar to thicken then add vanilla, whisk until combined

4. Add to banana, oil liquid and whisk until combined

5. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, sieve flours, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix on low until evenly mixed
6. Add banana liquid mix very slowly and mix on lowest speed, till just combined
7. Pause mixer and scrape down sides and mix for a few seconds
8. Slowly trickle in boiling water along the side of the bowl, mixing on lowest speed
9. Once water is mixed, scrape down the sides, mix again on low for a few seconds
10. Divide between tins, tap tins on the bench to release air bubbles, bake 43-45 mins, check with a skewer through the centre, if it comes out clean it's ready
11. Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes as its a delicate cake, then flip on a cake rake

TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER CARAMEL

1. Combine sugar, water, white vinegar in saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Don't bring to boil until all the sugar has completely dissolved.
2. Increase the heat to high and bring to the boil without stirring
3. Once very golden without burning, take off heat and allow to sit for a minute
4. Very slowly stir in coconut cream (it's going to bubble so be EXTRA careful) until completely combined and put back on the stove at medium heat to boil for a short minute whilst viciously stirring - don't let it burn
5. Take off heat and let cool. Stir through peanut butter. Be aware, the caramel will thicken once cooled and will thicken more if you leave in the fridge
6. TIP: If your caramel goes hard, warm slightly and stir through more coconut cream until you have the consistency you’re after. If it’s not thick enough once cooled stir a little more peanut butter through.

TO MAKE SUGAR SURUP

1. Place sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat whilst stirring until most of the sugar has dissolved
2. Boil for 2-3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Whilst boiling, carefully brush down the sides with a pastry brush to remove any crystals. Remove from heat and allow to cool before using

TO ASSEMBLE CAKE

1. Make 3 to 4 cups of vegan American buttercream
2. Cut each cake layer in half evenly
3. Place the first layer onto your cake board and secure with a small amount of buttercream
4. If you’re keeping this in the fridge to eat later, dampen your layer with a simple sugar syrup and cover in a very thin layer of buttercream
5. Add a dam of buttercream around the top edge of the layer, then fill with one-third of your caramel
6. Add another layer of cake on top, dampen with sugar syrup and add a dam of buttercream around the top edge of the layer, then fill with one-third of your caramel
7. Add another layer of cake on top, dampen with sugar syrup and add a dam of buttercream around the top edge of the layer, then fill with your remaining caramel
8. Place the last cake layer on top and decorate with remaining buttercream

Enter below to win an eBook copy of Bake Vegan Stuff by Sara Kidd. This giveaway is open to all. Contest closes at Midnight (Eastern Time) on February 2, 2020.

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