Caramelized Banana Coconut Cake

I made this cake for a potluck dinner back in December! If you're a fan of caramelized bananas or coconut then you will absolutely love this cake. It was so delicious and received a lot of praise from my friends who tried it - I would definitely recommend making it if you are entertaining or looking for a special cake recipe! The whipped cream and coating of shredded coconut remind me of fluffy white snow and to me it makes it perfect to enjoy during the snowy winter months.

Ingredients:

1 box yellow/golden cake mix

3 large eggs

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup water

1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

4-5 medium bananas, sliced 1/4" thick

1 and 1/2 cups shredded coconut

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Whipped Cream for Frosting:

2 cups whipping cream

1/4 cup white sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2-1 cup shredded coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray two 9" round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. 

Add the cake mix, eggs, oil, sour cream, water, and vanilla extract to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until combined. Continue to beat on high for approx. 2 minutes. 

Place the banana slices evenly on the bottom of the two prepared cake pans. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add in the brown sugar and lemon juice and heat until dissolved, stirring occasionally. Pour half of the brown sugar mixture into each of the two cake pans, over the bananas.

Sprinkle the shredded coconut over the brown sugar and bananas. Pour the cake batter on top of the coconut, evenly dividing between the two cake pans. Make sure you try to pour the cake batter on top of the coconut evenly because it is difficult to spread using a spatula. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let sit on wire racks for 5 minutes. Invert one of the cake layers onto a serving dish, so the bananas are facing upwards. If any bananas are left in the cake pan remove them and place them on top of the cake layer. Carefully invert the other cake layer onto a separate plate, then place that layer banana-side down on top of the first layer. Make sure that all of the bananas are in the middle of the two cake layers. Allow the cake layers to cool completely before frosting with whipped cream.

I didn't have enough bananas when I made this cake so I didn't use the full amount listed in the ingredients, so you'll notice that my banana layer looks sparse. I would definitely recommend using the full 4-5 bananas to get more even coverage on each cake layer and more delicious caramelized bananas in the middle of your cake!

To prepare the whipped cream frosting, beat the whipping cream in a large, chilled bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Spread the whipped cream over the cooled cake with a spatula or knife. Sprinkle the shredded coconut over top and onto the sides of the cake. Cover and refrigerate or serve immediately.

I couldn't get a good picture of a finished slice of cake because there was very poor lighting at the potluck location and I was too busy eating to worry about getting a good shot! This is a general idea of what the inside of your finished cake should look like though.

*Recipe by Brooke McMillan