Banoffee cake (or “banana toffee cake”) has several layers of banana cake filled with toffee and chocolate chips, stuffed with caramel or dulce de leche and topped with a buttercream frosting. Save this recipe for a special occasion!
This cake is a spin on the British “banoffee pie“. According to that linked article, the “offee” part not only comes from the toffee ingredient, but the pie is actually supposed to have coffee too!
Many versions of the pie that I’ve seen (especially Americanized recipes) do not include the coffee part. I’ve actually seen versions of banoffee pie that do not include either toffee or coffee!
So while this cake does include toffee, it does not have coffee in it. Though you could choose to make a coffee buttercream if you’d like to try that!
The sweet filling is a homemade caramel or dulce de leche sauce. You can absolutely use storebought, but this is a simple hack to make a homemade version with just a can of sweetened condensed milk (or some homemade condensed milk if you’re feeling fancy).
In the “old days” there used to be a method where you could just cover a can of sweetened condensed milk in boiling water (after removing the label), and then let simmer for a few hours for it to turn into homemade caramel.
Turns out that is not a safe way to do it! So I suggest a double boiler method: Pour sweetened condensed milk into top of double boiler. Cover and place over boiling water. Simmer over low heat 1 to 1½ hours or until milk is thick and light caramel-colored. Let cool slightly (not all the way or it will harden). (Other helpful methods and comments are in this reddit thread.)
And like I said, you can always get regular caramel sauce or dulce de leche. I’ve included some product recommendations from Amazon in the recipe card.
You’ll need 3 cake pans for this to make the banana cake layers.
You may need to cut off the top of each cake layer to make it even.
You’ll see in the picture below that each layer is topped with buttercream and an additional boundary of buttercream around the perimeter. It’s easiest to do this by piping the frosting but can be done without one.
That creates a “well” where you can put the caramel / dulce de leche layer.
English toffee chips and chocolate chips are added in each layer (and also in the cake itself!).
Extra fresh banana slices in each layer would be a great addition to this recipe too.
Other banana baking recipes you might love: blueberry banana bread and banana bread cupcakes.
Banoffee Cake
This banoffee cake has several layers of banana cake filled with toffee and chocolate chips, stuffed with caramel and topped with a buttercream frosting.
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk (see notes)
For the Banana Cake Layers
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large bananas)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (plus extra for the layers, if desired)
- 1/2 cup of toffee bits (plus extra for the layers, if desired)
For the Buttercream
- 2 cups butter
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- To make a caramel filling out of the sweetened condensed milk, pour sweetened condensed milk into top of double boiler. Cover and place over boiling water. Simmer over low heat 1 to 1½ hours or until milk is thick and light caramel-colored. Let cool slightly (not all the way or it will harden). (Can instead use premade caramel or toffee sauce, see notes.)
- For the banana cakes: Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare 3, 8” round cake pans with pan spray and/or parchment paper.
- In a large bowl add butter and mix with a electric mixer for about a minute to soften. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar and cream together for about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, mixing in one at a time.
- Add the mashed bananas and the vanilla and mix together until all the ingredients are incorporated.
- In a separate medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk together.
- Add about 1/3 of the flour to the wet mixture and mix in with a wooden spoon or spatula, then add about half the buttermilk and mix in. Add another third of the flour, the remaining buttermilk and then last of the flour, mixing them in with each addition.
- Add the chocolate chips and toffee bits to the batter and mix in just until evenly incorporated.
- Evenly pour the batter into the three cake pans and bake at 350°F for about 30-35 minutes, checking to see when they are golden brown on the top and done in the center. Remove cakes from the oven and let them completely cool.
- For the buttercream: While the cakes are cooling make the buttercream. In a large bowl or stand mixer add the butter until creamed. Add the heavy cream, vanilla and salt and continue mixing. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and mix in until completely incorporated. Then mix on medium-high for about 5-7 minutes until buttercream is light and fluffy.
- After the cakes have cooled, begin to assemble. Add a small amount of buttercream to the bottom of a 10” cake board or plate and place your first layer of cake. You may have to cut the tops of the cakes off if they’ve domed so they are level. Spread about a ¼-½ inch layer of buttercream on top of the cake. Pipe a ring around the top perimeter of the cake with more buttercream. Spread about half of the caramel in the middle of the "well" created by the piped buttercream. Top with extra toffee bits and chocolate chips if desired.
- If buttercream and caramel seems really soft, place the layers in the refrigerator at this point for about 15-20 minutes to allow them to set up.
- Add second layer of cake. Repeat the buttercream layer, the ring of buttercream and the remaining caramel on top of the second layer of cake (you can save a little for the outside if you’d like). Extra toffee bits and chocolate chips if desired. Top with the third layer of cake. Place the whole cake in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes to firm up.
- When the cake has cooled, remove from the refrigerator and frost the outside of the cake with the remaining buttercream. You can swirl any remaining toffee on the outside as well. You can top the cake with additional bananas, banana chips, chocolate chips and/or toffee bits. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Enjoy!!
Notes
- The sweetened condensed milk is if you want to make your own caramel sauce, but you can also use premade caramel sauce, dulce de leche or toffee sauce instead! Amazon product suggestions below.
- Extra slices of fresh banana on top of the caramel layers would be a nice touch too!
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1/16 cakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 744Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 138mgSodium: 587mgCarbohydrates: 93gFiber: 1gSugar: 71gProtein: 5g
Nutrition information is calculated automatically by an online tool at Nutritionix. It is not always accurate. Please use your own tools to check if you rely on this information.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
You'll also get email updates with new recipes (you can opt-out any time).