Obsessed Cakes

Salted Banana Caramel Cheesecake Cake

Soft banana cake layered with salted brown sugar caramel lava and tangy baked-cheesecake-style frosting.

Prep
1 hr
Bake
22-24 min
Total
About 3 1/2 hr, including cooling and chilling
Yield
One three-layer 8-inch cake

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Ingredients

Volume measurements use US cups and level spoons and are approximate. Spoon flour and powdered sugar into the cup, level, then sift if directed. For cocoa and freeze-dried fruit powders, scoop the unsifted powder and level without packing, then sift if directed. Measure sprinkles loosely and level. Pack brown sugar. For ingredients marked "weigh for accuracy", use the listed grams.

Banana Cake Layers

  • 305 g (about 2 1/2 cups) cake flour
  • 10 g (about 1 tablespoon + 1 1/4 teaspoons) cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 220 g (about 1 cup + 2 teaspoons) light brown sugar, packed
  • 120 g (about 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons) granulated sugar
  • 150 g (about 2/3 cup) neutral oil
  • 160 g (about 1/3 cup + 5 tablespoons) plain unsweetened yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
  • 260 g (about 1 cup + 2 tablespoons) very ripe bananas, mashed smooth
  • 120 g (about 1/2 cup) milk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Brown Sugar Caramel Lava

  • 170 g (about 3/4 cup + 2 teaspoons) light brown sugar, packed
  • 40 g (about 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) water
  • 2 g (about 7/8 teaspoon) cornstarch
  • 85 g (about 6 tablespoons) butter
  • 120 g (about 1/2 cup) milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Cheesecake Frosting

  • 900 g (about 4 cups) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 280 g (about 2 1/3 cups) powdered sugar
  • 3 teaspoons unfortified nutritional yeast, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon mild yellow or white miso paste
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
  • Pinch of lactic acid

Instructions

  1. Make the banana cake layers. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans.
  2. In one large bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, plain unsweetened yogurt, vanilla bean paste, mashed bananas, milk, and apple cider vinegar until smooth.
  3. Sift the cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt directly over the wet ingredients. Whisk gently just until combined and no dry streaks remain.
  4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.
  5. Bake for 22-24 minutes, until the centers spring back.
  6. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out and allow them to cool completely. Wrap and chill the layers before assembly.
  7. Make the brown sugar caramel lava. Whisk the light brown sugar, water, and cornstarch in a saucepan until smooth.
  8. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until bubbling.
  9. Add the butter and milk. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, whisking, until glossy.
  10. Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste and salt. Cool completely, then chill before assembly.
  11. Make the cheesecake frosting. Beat the room-temperature cream cheese until completely smooth.
  12. Add the powdered sugar and beat until thick and creamy.
  13. Add the sifted unfortified nutritional yeast, miso paste, lemon juice, vanilla bean paste, and lactic acid. Mix until silky.
  14. Chill the frosting for 20-30 minutes, until pipeable.
  15. Place the first chilled cake layer on a cake board and spread a thin layer of cheesecake frosting over it. Pipe a complete frosting dam around the edge.
  16. Spoon a controlled layer of chilled brown sugar caramel lava inside the dam, keeping it below the top edge.
  17. Add the second cake layer and repeat with the frosting dam and caramel.
  18. Top with the final cake layer and frost the outside lightly with the remaining cheesecake frosting.
  19. Chill the assembled cake until stable before slicing.