Banoffee Roll
The Irresistible Banoffee Roll: A Must-Try Dessert
If you are on a quest for the perfect dessert that will ensure that those certain friends or family members that tend to make dinner plans at your house - and only your house - don’t come a-knocking ever again. I’m afraid this one isn't for you!
This dessert however, is one of those special secret weapons you bring out for actual loved ones who you want turning up time and time again. With this banoffee roll, you’ll be able to tell those pesky relatives without a word of a lie - “Sorry Aunt Florence, you can't come over that night, I have friends over. Nope, Saturday’s out too.. Would you believe it, I have more company on Tuesday, Wednesday AND Thursday too!”
Jokes aside. This roll is truely one of my favourites. I know I probably say that a lot about the recipes I post on here but that’s simply because I’m not really willing to share recipes such as my dad’s pea and ham soup that has it’s own heartbeat. So be grateful I’m bombarding you with all of these blogs claiming that “this is my favourite” “No! THIS is my favourite!” Think of it my very own personal documentary into my exploration of food. With each new discovery comes a new favourite and I’m the type of person who just needs to share.
Now, I won’t lie. This is a recipe that does require a wee bit of finesse. It might take you a couple of tries before you're completely comfortable wrangling this roll cake but that’s the reality when it comes to rolls, either this one or any type of “Swiss” roll cake. It’s certainly a skill worth pursuing because once you learn your own tricks, it truly is quite straightforward.
I hope I have included enough details to make this recipe successful for you. Regardless of the cosmetic outcome - the combination of flavours makes it delicious. If you do give it a go, do let me know!
Banoffee Roll Cake
Ingredients
- 70g unsalted butter - room temperature
- 120g dark brown sugar
- 1tsp vanilla paste (or extract)
- 3 eggs - separated
- pinch salt
- 75g plain flower - sifted
- 1tsp bicarbonate soda
- 2 tbsp water - boiling
- 3-4tbsp demerara sugar
- 120g cream cheese - room temperature
- 35g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste (or extract)
- 250ml cold heavy cream
- 2-3 medium bananas - sliced
- 1/3 tin of Nestle Top n Fill caramel, dulce de leche or any other type of preferred caramel topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray a 37cm x 25cm (or nearest to) rectangular cake tin with cooking oil and line with baking paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter and dark brown sugar and beat with the paddle attachment until light and creamy. Add egg yolks, vanilla, salt and continue to beat until the sugar partially dissolves.
- In another stand mixer bowl, whip the egg whites with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Set this aside while you combined the boiling water with the bicarb soda in a small jug.
- To the butter mixture, add 1/3 of the flour and fold in gently with a whisk - maximum of 3-6 folds. To this, add 1/3 of the egg whites and again fold through gently. Repeat until all mixtures are just combined. Pour in the bicarb water and fold through. This will make the mixture quite runny - this is normal.
- Pour the batter into your prepared tin and smooth it evenly to the all four edges. Give the bottom of the tin 2-3 taps to release any trapped air bubbles before placing in to the oven to bake for 10-15 minutes. Watch closely - it will be done when the top is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched.
- While the cake is baking, prepare a tea towel for wrapping by laying it flat on the bench, covering it with a sheet of baking paper and sprinkling 2-3 tbsp of Demerara sugar evenly across the top.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and very carefully invert the tin onto the baking paper tea towel. Gently remove and discard the top layer of paper and begin to roll it from the short end first, rolling the tea towel and baking paper up within the cake. I will often use a long cylindrical object such as a cannoli mould or end of a long wooden spoon placed vertically within the short edge to help begin the rolling and avoid cracking. Once you reach the end, wrap the roll in remaining tea towel and place seam side down on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- To make cream filling, place cream cheese and icing sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with a paddle attachment until smooth and fluffy. Add vanilla, beat through then add the cream slowly while mixer is on low. Increase speed to med-high and continue to beat for 1-2 minutes or until the filling is smooth.
- Gently unroll the cake and spread the caramel across the surface, keeping a 1/2 inch boarder between the side edges and the end seam of the cake. This will prevent oozing when you go to roll it.
- Spread the cream mixture across the caramel before topping with the sliced bananas. Starting from the short edge again, start to roll the cake using the underneath baking paper as a tool to help roll. When you reach the end, gently lift the roll and transfer it to a piece of Gladwrap. Wrap it around the cake and, while holding the two sides of plastic either side of the log, roll the cake along the bench top - think of how the two edges of a Fantail chocolate are wrapped - This will help to tighten it. Some of the filling may ooze out the ends, the plastic should help to keep it in. Place in the freezer for 2-3 hours to help it set.
- When ready to serve, unwrap the cake and trim each end to neaten. Top with sliced bananas, a drizzle of caramel and a sprinkle of Demerara sugar for extra sparkle and crunch.
Notes
Keep either in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic in the fridge for up to 2 days. Due to the nature of bananas weeping after time, this cake is best eaten the day of construction but both the roll (kept at room-temperature) and the cream (kept in the fridge) can be made the day ahead.