Vegan Banana Mud Cake w Peanut Butter Caramel

TO MAKE CAKE

1. Preheat oven 150°C/302°F and line 2 x 6IN/15.24CM cake tins with baking paper, grease with oil and dust with flour.
2. Melt shortening and cacao butter in a small pot on the stove, take off heat and add banana and whisk together until combined.
3. In a small jug mix soy milk with vinegar to thicken then add vanilla, whisk until combined.
4. Add to banana oil liquid and whisk until combined.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, sieve flours, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix on low until evenly mixed.
6. Add banana liquid mix very slowly and mix on lowest speed, till just combined.
7. Pause mixer and scrape down sides and mix for a few seconds.
8. Slowly trickle in boiling water along the side of the bowl, mixing on lowest speed.
9. Once water is mixed, scrape down the sides, mix again on low for a few seconds.
10. Divide between tins, tap tins on the bench to release air bubbles, bake 43-45 mins, check with a skewer through the centre, if it comes out clean it's ready.
11. Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes as its a delicate cake, then flip on a cake rake.

TO MAKE PEANUT BUTTER CARAMEL

1. Combine sugar, water, white vinegar in saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Don’t bring to boil until all the sugar has completely dissolved.
2. Increase the heat to high and bring to the boil without stirring.
3. Once very golden without burning, take off heat and allow to sit for a minute.
4. Very slowly stir in coconut cream (it's going to bubble so be EXTRA careful) until completely combined and put back on the stove at medium heat to boil for a short minute whilst viciously stirring – don't let it burn.
5. Take off heat and let cool. Stir through peanut butter. Be aware, the caramel will thicken once cooled and will thicken more if you leave in the fridge.
6. TIP: If your caramel goes hard, warm slightly and stir through more coconut cream until you have the consistency you’re after. If it’s not thick enough once cooled stir a little more peanut butter through.

TO ASSEMBLE CAKE

1. Once cake layers have completely cooled, cut each layer in half evenly.
2. Put a tsp of buttercream onto your cake board. Place the first layer on your cake board and push down to seal onto board.
3. Place buttercream into piping bag and pipe a dam around the edge of your first layer. Fill in with 1/3 of the caramel filling. Repeat this process with each layer until you have placed the last layer onto the top.
4. Cover top with remaining buttercream.
5. Keep this cake in an airtight container outside of the fridge.