If only there were a way to describe the incredible flavor of this cake that would do justice to what a taste sensation it is.  Light, bouncy, incredible texture with all that banana flavor being enhanced by beautiful caramel and salty sweet pecans.  It’s very exciting when I find a cake this delicious that I’ve never made before, and this one is going into my small elite group of regulars for sure.  I fell deep in love with it as did all who were lucky enough to get a slice.  The original recipe had the topping baked in, but it said that what wasn’t served warm the caramel topping got super hard and there’s no way my little family could eat all of that cake when it’s still warm so I made my own topping that I added to each slice and it was seriously outstanding.  It’s rare that I enjoy a cake this much that has nothing to do with chocolate, I am counting the days until I make it again.  -CK 2.0

For the Cake:

1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 to 3 large)
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon dark rum (I didn’t have rum so I used a teaspoon rum extract)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Caramel:

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt

Trader Joe’s Candied Pecans  – If you don’t have these you can toast some raw pecans or make your own glazed pecans.  But I found the TJ’s one’s to be the perfect compliment.

1. To make the cake – Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars in large bowl until blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then mashed bananas, sour cream, rum or rum extract, and vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients in 2 additions just until combined. Spoon batter into pan.
2. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool 15 minutes.
3. For the Caramel whisk together sugar and water in a medium (heavy bottom) saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until sugar is just dissolved.  Add butter and bring to a slow boil without stirring.  Continue cooking over medium heat until the mixture turns a deep golden brown, almost copper (DO NOT STIR).  Remove from heat and immediately but slowly add the heavy cream.  Be careful as your caramel will bubble and steam.  Add salt.  Whisk the final mixture together well and set aside to cool – it will get thicker as it cools.
4. To serve the cake chop up some pecans and put them in with the caramel then pour this over your cake as generously as you please.  It’s extra delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  My kids ate it with no caramel or pecans or even utensils – they were absolutely crazy about it.  Store wrapped up at room temperature.

Banana cake adapted from Smitten Kitchen 2016 and Caramel adapted from Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie book  2013