Salted Caramel Hummingbird Cake

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil (I usually use sunflower)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 1 ½ cups plain flour
• 1 cup wholemeal flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ cup thread coconut
• ½ cup raisins or sultanas (optional)
• 4 medium sized ripe bananas, mashed
• 420g tin crushed pineapple, juice drained
• 1 cup walnuts (optional)

Cream cheese salted caramel icing:

• 200g cream cheese, room temp
• 1 cup salted caramel (recipe below)

Salted caramel:

• 300ml cream
• 1 ½ cups white sugar
• ½ cup water
• Around 1 teaspoon of sea salt flakes (adjust to taste)

To decorate:

• Toasted thread coconut
• Freeze dried raspberries
• Salted caramel
• Petals
• Sliced almonds

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C and oil three 15cm cake pans. If you wish to use 20cms, take in mind that the cooking time and ultimate height of the cake may alter significantly, so keep an eye on it while it’s cooking.
2. Combine the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth and light. Combine the mashed banana and the drained crushed pineapple in a mixing bowl. Sieve together the plain flour, wholemeal flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a separate big mixing basin (return the wholemeal parts trapped in the sieve to the bowl), then combine with the raisins, coconut, and walnuts. Make a well in the dry mixture and pour in the liquid mixture. To blend, stir everything together.
3. The batter should be divided evenly between the pans, roughly 550g each 15cm pan. If you have any leftover batter, you can put it in muffin tins to make a tiny cake to snack on while you wait! Bake the cakes for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a spear inserted into the center comes out clean; the cake should still sizzle when removed.
4. Allow the cakes to cool completely in their pans before stacking them.
5. You may create the caramel while the cakes are cooling. In a large saucepan over high heat, combine the sugar and water. Allow it to bubble and boil, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a dark caramel color. During this time, heat the cream in the microwave until it is hot. Remove the pan from the heat when it becomes amber, and gently pour in the cream in three batches, stirring carefully between each addition. The caramel will bubble and boil, which is why you should add the cream a little at a time to avoid it overflowing. Return the pan to the heat for about a minute to intensify the color and dissolve any sugar pieces. After the caramel has cooled for 10 minutes, season to taste with salt. To assist make the icing more powerful in flavor, you want a moderately strong salty flavor. Allow to chill in the refrigerator.
6. You may construct the cakes once everything is nice and cool. Remove them from their tins and use a serrated knife to make sure they’re level.
7. Combine the cream cheese and a cup of salted caramel (or more if desired) in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy, pale, and fluffy. If you have lumps in it, just wait a few minutes and keep pounding until they go away.
8. Place one cake on the table and smother it with a generous dollop or three of frosting, spreading it to the edges. Because you’ll be placing a dollop of caramel in the center of the icing, make it thicker on the outer border than the center. Place the second cake on top and continue the process. Place the last cake on top and swirl it around until it looks good. Using toasted thread coconut, salted caramel, almond pieces, blossoms, and a dusting of freeze dried raspberries (I just enjoy their color! ), decorate the edges. If you’re not going to eat it right away, put it in the fridge, but don’t leave it out for more than a couple of hours.

Source: Sophie Likes Cake

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