Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Close up of layered banoffee cake on white plate

Banoffee Cake (easy recipe)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

Simple flavors that will surprise you at first bite! A layer of moist and super easy-to-make banana muffin cake is topped with luscious dulce de leche and whipped cream. This cake will make your taste buds dance. Trust me, if you never tried this combination you're in for a ride. 

  • Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

Units

For the banana muffin cake:

  • 2/3 cup mashed bananas (about 2 medium)
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the toppings:

  • 1 1/2 cups dulce de leche, see Notes below
  • 1 cup heavy or whipping cream, cold
  • 2 tablespoons cream cheese, cold
  • 2 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped or shaved bittersweet chocolate
  • Fresh banana slices, optional, see Notes, below

Instructions

For the banana cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF / 180ºC.
  2. Have ready a 9-inch cake pan with removable bottom. 
  3. Put mashed bananas in a large bowl and mix with the oil, egg and vanilla. There will be some chunks of banana still. You can use an electric mixer but a whisk is more than enough.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add the sugar and stir to combine. 
  5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.  Be careful not to overmix (as this will make your muffins tougher).
  6. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. 
  7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, Be careful not to overbake it.
  8. Let cool on a wire rack completely before assembling it. It can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept in the refrigerator or freezer, in both cases well wrapped to avoid it from drying out. 
  9. You can also make individual cakes. I use 4-inch mini tart pans with removable bottoms. 

To assemble:

  1. Place the banana cake on a flat work surface. Or directly on the serving platter. 
  2. With a spoon (or piping bag if you want nicer edges), spread the dulce de leche to cover the cake.
  3. Whip the cold cream with sugar and cream cheese to fairly firm peaks, and spoon it over dulce de leche.
  4. Refrigerate the cake for 1 hour before serving.
  5. Sprinkle freely with grated chocolate and also rounds of fresh banana slices if you want. The fresh banana should be added right before serving, as it turns dark pretty fast.

Notes

  • Sizes and pans: before you make this cake I wanted to tell you about the different options.
    Make one whole recipe for banana muffins, and you can make two 9-inch cakes, similar to the one in this post. Assemble one as explained in the recipe, and freeze the other banana base for a future cake. Or make individual servings using 4-inch mini tart pans with removable bottoms. 
    Make 1/2 the recipe for banana muffins, using half an egg. The way to do that is to crack it open in a small bowl, lightly beat it, and add half of it to the batter. The other half you can use in scrambled eggs, egg bake, omelet. You can also make 1/2 recipe for regular banana bread, using white flour, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar. Both work.
  • Bananas: use very ripe, brown spotted ones. They are the ones that pack the flavor you want your banana cake to have. If using fresh banana slices on top make sure they're cut and added at the last minute, when you're serving the cake.
  • Dulce de leche: you can easily buy it online. Use the thicker kind I always use dulce de leche repostero Vacalin. 
  • Cream: it's a necessary ingredient and you can make it from scratch or you can buy those cans with similar stuff. Whatever you like works.
  • Storing: it needs refrigeration if there are leftovers because of the whipped cream. Make sure you cover it to prevent the cake from drying out. You can freeze the cake layer and make the whipped cream a few days before you serve it. But this cake does not freeze well once it's assembled.
  • Serving: this cake is best served barely cold for the flavors to come through. Keep in mind that the cream must be cold to hold its shape so don't let it sit at room temperature for too long. And also, I recommend you not serve it straight from the fridge as the flavors won't shine.
  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cooling time: 60 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Cakes
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: International

Find it online: https://vintagekitchennotes.com/banana-muffin-cake-dulce-de-leche/