Liquid Gold Layer Cake

A little while ago I picked up a copy of the Cool Layer Cakes cookbook. As I was flicking through I saw the recipe for this cake and I just knew I had to make it. I have tweaked the original recipe slightly but my oh my is it good! Moist banana and chocolate chip cake, peanut butter frosting, caramel sauce and crunchy peanut brittle all combined in one cake makes for a winning combo (unless you're allergic to nuts). Anyway, I definitely feel like I've said cake too many times now so I'll stop blabbering so you can check out the recipe below.

Ingredients:

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake:
120g Unsalted Butter
200g Caster Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Very Ripe, Medium or Large Bananas (broken into chunks)
110g Sour Cream
1/2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
200g Plain Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
100g Dark Chocolate Chips or Chunks (minimum 53% cocoa solids)

Caramel Sauce:
225g Caster Sugar
85g Unsalted Butter (chopped into chunks)
125ml Double Cream
60ml Water

Peanut Butter Frosting:
110g Butter
220g Icing Sugar
1 tbsp Peanut Butter
1 tbsp Milk

Peanut Praline:
150g Caster Sugar
2 tbsp Water
100g Salted Peanuts 

Method:

Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 160°C and grease and line two 20 cm round cakes tins.
2. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. Gradually add the banana chunks until combined.
4. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract.
5. Gently mix in the flour and baking soda and then add the chocolate chips.
6. Divide the mixture equally between the prepared tins and bake for approximately 50-60 minutes.

Caramel Sauce:
1. Heat the sugar and water in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat.
2. Do not stir the sugar, but swirl the saucepan to help dissolve if necessary.
3. When the liquid sugar becomes a deep amber colour, add the butter. The mixture will then foam up and thicken.
4. Whisk until the butter melts, then take the saucepan off the heat and mix in the cream.
5. Cool in the saucepan to room temperature. Don't worry if the sauce seems thin at first, it will soon thicken.

Peanut Butter Frosting:
1. Beat the butter and icing sugar together. If the butter is too hard, soften slightly in the microwave.
2. Add the peanut butter and mix together.
3. Add a tablespoon of milk if the mixture is too stiff.

Praline:
1. Heat the sugar and water in a large saucepan set over a medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved. Do not stir.
2. Scatter the peanuts across a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
3. When the liquid sugar is a deep amber colour, pour it over the nuts.
4. Spread it with an oiled spatula to create an even, thin layer.
5. Allow to set, then tap the praline with the end of a rolling pin to break into shards.

Finish:
1. Level the top of the cake and cut in half.
2. Place the first layer on a cake stand and apply buttercream followed by a drizzle of the caramel sauce.
3. Spread an even and neat layer on the top.
4. Stick the praline shards into the top of the cake at angles. Add the praline crumbs for added crunch and texture.