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Banana Mud Cake with Peanut Butter Caramel

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