If you are trying to improve on banana cake, you’ll probably end up baking a dulce de leche banana cake. The addition of caramelized milk takes this plain dessert cake to a level you probably would not have thought possible. Instead of refined white sugar, I used my all-time favourite, light muscovado, to give the crumb a rich golden hue and omitted the eggs, replacing them with 1/4 cup applesauce. The substitution resulted in a delightfully moist texture for an eggless cake without compromising the integrity of the crumb. Adapted from Bakers Royale, this simple teatime treasure can be topped with a layer of cream cheese frosting for those with an incurable sweet tooth.

DULCE DE LECHE BANANA CAKE

Ingredients:

For the Cake

½ cup unsweetened yogurt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup light muscovado sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon table salt

1 cup bananas, mashed

¾ cup dulce de leche

Method:

  • Heat oven to 350 oF. Lightly butter a 9-inch cake pan and then dust with flour. Place parchment round on bottom of pan.
  • For the cake, place the plain yogurt in a bowl and add baking soda; set aside. Mix butter and sugar until light and creamy.

  • Add eggs (if using) and beat until combined. Add vanilla extract and beat till combined. Mix flour, baking powder and salt.
  • Mix bananas, dulce de leche and yogurt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 parts, alternating with banana mixture.

  • Mix after each addition until just combined. Pour mixture into prepared cake pan and bake at 350 oF for about 45 minutes.
  • Cool cake for 5 minutes in cake pan. Remove cake and continue to cool cake completely on a wire rack. Makes a 9-inch cake.

Dulce de Leche & Banana