PEANUT BUTTER & BANANA LAMINGTONS

MAKES 12 PREP 30 MINS + SETTING COOK 40 MINS

• 125g butter, chopped, at room temperature

• ¾ cup caster sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 cups self-raising flour, sifted

• ½ cup milk

• ¾ cup smooth peanut butter

• 175g packet caramel popcorn, finely chopped

• 1 banana, peeled, thinly sliced

CARAMEL ICING

• 1½ cups brown sugar

• 150g butter, chopped

• ¾ cup milk

• 3 cups icing sugar, sifted

1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease an 18cm x 28cm lamington pan and line with baking paper.

2 In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until creamy.

3 Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping

down side of bowl. Beat in vanilla.

4 Lightly fold flour into creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour.

5 Spoon into pan, smoothing top. Bake 30-35 mins until cooked when tested. Cool in pan 5 mins, before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely. Trim edges and cut into 12 equal fingers.

6 CARAMEL ICING In a small saucepan, combine sugar, butter and milk. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer 2 mins, stirring. Remove from heat and mix in sifted icing sugar.

7 Spread chopped popcorn over a shallow tray. Using a fork, dip each cake piece into caramel icing, draining off excess. Roll in popcorn to coat. Place on wire rack and allow to set.

8 Split lamingtons in half. Spread with peanut butter, top with banana and sandwich together.