Chocolate banoffee cake

serves 16 Takes 2hr

FOR THE Cake ● 250G UNSALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED, PLUS EXTRA FOR GREASING ● 225G LIGHT MUSCOVADO SUGAR ● 200G GOLDEN CASTER SUGAR ● 1TSP VANILLA EXTRACT ● 4 LARGE EGGS ● 300G SELF-RAISING FLOUR ● 75G COCOA ● 280ML BUTTERMILK FOR THE DECORATION ● 150G BELGIAN MILK CHOCOLATE ● 200G DARK CHOCOLATE ● 2TSP VEGETABLE OIL FOR THE Filling ● 2 SMALL BANANAS ● JUICE OF 1 LEMON ● 250G MASCARPONE ● 50G ICING SUGAR, SIEVED ● 2TBSP VANILLA EXTRACT ● 397G TINNED CARAMEL

1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/ 325°F/gas 3. Grease and line three 19cm-diameter sandwich tins.

2 Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, muscovado and caster sugars, and vanilla extract together for 10min until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well between each addition, then half the flour, cocoa and buttermilk. Combine, then repeat, adding the other half of the ingredients.

3 Spoon the mixture into the tins and bake for 45min until a skewer comes out clean. Cool the cakes on a rack, then peel off the lining paper.

4 To make the chocolate curls, put the milk chocolate in one glass bowl and the dark chocolate in another. Add 1tsp oil to each bowl, then melt over simmering water. Pour the dark chocolate into a plastic container, then drizzle in the milk chocolate and swirl together with a skewer. Chill for at least 1hr. When solid, tip out the chocolate, then drag a wide peeler over it to create curls. Place on a parchment-lined tray and chill.

5 Slice the bananas and sprinkle the lemon juice onto them. Stir the mascarpone, icing sugar and vanilla extract together until smooth. Place a cake layer onto a serving plate or cake stand, spread on half the mascarpone filling, then top with half the bananas and half the caramel. Repeat with another cake layer, then sandwich together with the final cake layer. Using a palette knife, arrange the chocolate curls on top of the cake.