My eldest son just turned 9 two days ago.  9!  As my friend’s daughter reminded us they’re now in their last single digit year.  So bittersweet.  Well, time for all the sweets to overcome any bitterness.  For my son’s school celebration I made a Sticky Toffee Banana Pudding per his request. And for his at home celebration, for which I wasn’t there because I had an event at Whole Foods an hour away,  I made vanilla cup cakes with meringue frosting (very similar to Fluff) and naturally colored sprinkles.  We had friends over the following night and I figured I should use up the remaining merignue frosting and made a vanilla layer cake with chocolate cream center.  It was the first time in years that I’ve successfully baked a layer cake.

I found the Sticky  Toffee Banana Pudding recipe on Bon Appétit’s website.  I had made it the week before but found the cake part too similar to banana bread, so this time around I cut down on the flour.  It was less bready but still needs tweaking.  It is so delicious— bananas and toffee, how can it not be good!  My son’s class loved it!  My youngest son was off from school and was also able to join in the celebration. A couple of kids said they had to lick their plates it was so good.  (Now that’s a compliment!)  I served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Sticky Toffee Banana Pudding (adapted from original by Lauren Chattman)

Banana Cake:

1 ½ cups flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, softened

3 Tbsp brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temp

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

2 tsp dark rum

2 tsp vanilla

Toffee sauce:

⅓ cup cream

¾ cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

½ stick butter

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease and line with parchment an 8×8 square baking pan.

Sift together twice the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.  Using an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar.  Beat in one egg at a time.  Add bananas, rum and vanilla.  (Looks curdled).  Add flour mixture in 4 parts, beating after each addition.  Spread batter into pan and bake for about 35 minutes until toothpick or skewer inserted into center  comes out clean.  Spread half the toffee sauce over cake and return to oven for 6 minutes.  Cool on rack for at least 20 minutes.  Serve with remaining toffee sauce and whipped cream or ice cream.

I will post the cupcake and birthday cake recipes soon.