Monday, March 3, 2008

Banana Dulce De Leche Cake

You didn’t think I would have a BBQ party without serving dessert? Of course, I served dessert. After everyone ate their burgers on freshly made hamburger buns, I brought out a banana cake filled with dulce de leche and iced with a mascarpone frosting. I served the cake with iced coffee because lately it’s been very warm here in Southern California. Everyone enjoyed the cake especially the icing. I was a little worried that my guests would think that the mascarpone icing would be a little too tangy. As it turned out my worries were unfounded.

The cake is a rich banana cake made tender by the sour cream in the batter. The original recipe calls for a banana filling as well, but I decided against that. I had a jar of dulce de leche left over from my last vacation in Mexico.

In Mexico, the best dulce de leche is from the state of Guanajuato. In addition, it is not called dulce de leche. Its proper name is cajeta and is packaged in little wooden boxes. You can have it made with goat’s milk, cow’s milk, or a mixture of both.

My grandmother (father’s side) is from Guanajuato and I have spent many summers there. At the local bakery, they had a toast that was extremely dry and it had a “cream cheese” spread on top. We used to buy the toast and then drizzle cajeta over it. Seriously … unbelievably good!

Well, I am going to have to wait until June to replenish my stash of dulce de leche and other goodies I purchase in Mexico. (Stef-I a put a post it in my passport so I remember to bring you dulce de leche.) Finally, the recipe.

Mascarpone Icing

Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook
Makes one 9-inch layer cake
1 ½ sticks of unsalted butter at room temperature
1 2/3 cups of sugar
2 ¾ cups of all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
½ teaspoon of salt
3 very ripe bananas mashed
¼ cup of sour cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla
4 large eggs
¾ cup of dulce de leche (cajeta)

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper and dust the pans with flour; tapping out the excess. Into a medium bowl sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a small bowl mash together the bananas, vanilla and sour cream; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar (medium speed) until fluffy and light. Scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs one at a time mixing thoroughly after each addition. With the mixer on low speed add the flour in two batches. Using a rubber spatula fold in the banana mixture.

Divide the batter among the pans evenly. Bake rotating the pans halfway through until cakes are golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 20 minutes. Invert cakes on to the racks and remove parchment paper. Reinvert cakes, and cool completely.

Once the cakes are cooled, spread the dulce de leche on one of the layers. Place the remaining layer on top and ice with the mascarpone icing. I had a little extra dulce de leche left in the jar and I drizzled that over the top of the cake.

27 comments:

slush said...

I have banana bread in the works right now. :) The cake looks wicked good. Holy yum!

OH! And I wanted you to know that I did bake your chocolate raspberry cupcakes, and OMG, they are so f'n good. I may never go back to reg. buttercream again.

Deborah said...

This looks AMAZING!! I'm going to definitely have to try this!

test it comm said...

That cake looks really good! I enjoy baking with bananas and a cake made with bananas sounds good.

Brilynn said...

That looks wonderful! I've been using lots of bananas in baking lately and dulce de leche can only make it better!

Sarah said...

Yum yum yum! I love dulce de leche & banana!

Speaking of dulce de leche, I found these oreos with dulce de leche filling randomly in the store...I can't even tell you, I was so excited! I ate them crumbled in vanilla ice cream last night, and while they wasn't as good as homemade, they were yummy!

Stef said...

These sound so unbelievably heavenly! I may have to make a cupcake version of this very recipe when I get my dulce de leche! You're the best!!! Thanks again and again, in advance.

Katie said...

I loved your line "you didn't think I'd have a BBQ party without serving dessert?"
I wouldn't have expected anything less. The cake looks stunning. I should think the tangy marscapone icing was great with the sweet caramel filling. Utterly indulgant.

grace said...

lordy lordy, that's gorgeous. it's always such a struggle to eat something so beautiful.

wait, no it's not. it sounds absolutely delicious, and i wouldn't hesitate to devour it. :)

Maria♥ said...

Oh my your Banana Dulce De Leche Cake is right up my street, what a gorgeous combination of flavours and textures. I am definitely book marking this cake to make soon ;o)

Great blog!

Tempered Woman said...

that cake is beautiful! ya know, the peanut butter dulce de leche that is floating around the blogosphere from Blake Makes would probably go so freakin well with this recipe?! Bananas, peanut butter AND dulce de leche~ YUM!

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

I would eat a piece this morning with my coffee. Looks yummy.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...now I know what to do with my leftover TWD dulce de leche! Yum, yum, yum!

LizNoVeggieGirl said...

dessert is a must for ANY function/event!! :0)

oh my goodness, banana dulce de leche?!?!?! **dies and goes to heaven**

Emily said...

This cake sounds delicious! I am so excited to try it.

Mallow said...

Oh my god. I don't even know what to say about that cake. It is gorgeous, and the idea of the marscapone...and the dulce de leche...

Anonymous said...

That cake is gorgeous... as is all of your stuff! I need an invite to your next BBQ- homemade buns and delicious cake! I'm so there. I'm making a cake with dulce de leche filling this weekend! Thanks for the inspiration!

Cookie baker Lynn said...

Wow, what a cake! I have a friend who goes to Mexico regularly so I'll have to see if she can score some dulche de leche for me.

BitterSweet said...

I love bananas and caramel, so this cake sounds divine!

Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe said...

Yum!
That looks GiGilicious.

eatme_delicious said...

Wow!! I've looked at this cake in the Martha Stewart book several times but it never seemed incredibly enticing, but the way you've tweaked it I must make it now! Though I'll just be making my own dulce de leche with condensed milk, but I'm sure it will still be good. :)

Rosie said...

Oh this is really amazing!! I really would love to try this beautiful cake out :D

Rosie :)

Anonymous said...

There's something about the RSS feed on your site that doesn't work with my Reader...very frustrating because I hate that this cake has been posted on your website for a week and I'M JUST NOW SEEING IT!

It looks divine!!!!!!!!

How To Eat A Cupcake said...

I have never tasted dulce de leche, but this cake looks fab. I have a crazy cupcake idea involving dulce de leche. Hopefully I'll find the time to make them soon!

marae said...

wow that cake looks soooo good. we just finished off a banana cream cake from easter, this thing was 4 layers.

Olivia said...

Oh my goodness the filling in this cake looks so incredible. It reminds me of bananas foster minus the cinnamon.

Melissa Lewis - Off The Wall said...

I'm new to your blog, and loving your recipes. Wanting to give this one a shot tonight! Thinking it would be perfect for my son's first bday party. One thing... not sure where I can find marscapone, do you think I could just use a cream cheese frosting?

Gigi said...

Yes Melissa you can sub cream cheese for mascarpone. It should work out just fine.